WCMF headline act Burna Boy to perform on night number 2 of WCMF

Fans of ‘African Giant’ Burna Boy, can look forward to night number two of this year’s World Creole Music Festival (WCMF) as the Nigerian singer and songwriter will hit the big stage on Saturday night.

This announcement was made by Discover Dominica Authority (DDA) destination manager Kimberly King, on Wednesday, August 31, while announcing the nightly lineup for this year’s 22nd edition of the three-night festival.

Night one -October 28-  will feature Jamaica’s ‘dancehall princess’ Shenseea, Trinidadian soca group Kes, Jamaica’s reggae superstars Sizzla, Dominica’s very own ‘bouyon queen’ Carlyn XP, WCMF veteran act TK International, the almost 40-year-old versatile first serenade band and K-Dilack and Bedjine. They will bring a taste of Haitian Kompa music to the festival.

Night number two- October 29- will see acts such as afrobeat superstars Burna Boy and Omah Lay, former lead singer of the Kompa Kassav band Jocelyne Béroard, Jamaican reggae singer Dexta Daps, ‘Bouyon Boss’ Asa Bantan, Dominica’s number one dancehall artist Colton T, Dominica’s very own Kompa band the Extacy band and Bouyon legends, WCK.

The festival will close off on night number three – October 30- with Trinidadian soca star Patrice Roberts, Dominica’s cadence icons Midnight Groovers, well-known Haitian artist/band Enposib, Chire Lakay as well as French singer of reggae-dancehall music Admiral T, another one of Jamaica’s reggae/dancehall singers  Christopher Martin and Reo who will be making his first appearance at the WCMF as a solo artist.

With Dominica heavily reliant on the tourism industry, King stressed that festivals and events are an important niche and strategy pillar for Dominica’s tourism development.

She is also of the view that such activities help to ensure the continuity of key traditions while protecting the destination’s culture, and importantly, ensuring the socio-economic development of the destination.

“In the last three years of hosting the World Creole Music Festival 2019, 2018, and 2016, this event has contributed on average 65% of total arrivals in the month of October,” she said. “The key markets that frequent the event originate from the French West Indies, Commonwealth Caribbean, and the United States. Additionally, statistics have also shown that on average, for the years 2019 -2018 and 2016, 61% of attendees arrived via ferry and 39% arrived via air.”

“This year we are thrilled to be hosting the 22nd edition of the World Creole Music Festival after a two-year hiatus, and we are inviting our festival loyalists to reunite at Windsor Park Sports Stadium and for the newbies, make the festival your meeting place,” the marketing manager added.

She notes that this year’s festival will deliver on some of the biggest acts to ever hit the WCMF stage making it “not only a regional event but a global event right here on the nature island.”

The project officer at DDA, Daphne Vidal, highlighted that potential visitors looking to book accommodations can log on to bookingdominica.com to get information on where to stay.

She also issued a call to owners of apartments and empty houses to register with DDA to get their property added to the list of available accommodations on the website by calling 1-767 255 8221 or [email protected]. with their information.

Bookings can also be made through the DDA’s tourism concierge office’s contact numbers, 2757293 or 2757298.

Season tickets will be sold at a cost of $375, however, patrons do have the opportunity to take advantage of the early bird special of $300 until September 16.

Nightly tickets are also being sold at $150.

Tickets are available at Depex in Roseau, and at Bullseye in Roseau and Portsmouth.