Lionel Richie to Headline 2013 St. Kitts Music Festival, June 27-29

Multiple award winning singer/songwriter and popular American musician Lionel Richie will headline the upcoming 17^th Annual St. Kitts Music Festival, which takes place from Thursday, June 27 to Saturday, June 29, 2013, rounding out an impressive lineup of artists for this year’s event.

“We feel privileged to have such a global musical icon as Lionel Richie visit St. Kitts to add his remarkable talent and numerous award-winning songs to this year’s Music Festival,” said Senator Ricky Skerritt, Minister of Tourism & International Transport, Trade, Industry, Commerce & Consumer Affairs. “Blending renowned international acts such as Mr. Richie with rising local stars and top Caribbean artists in a festive, block-party type of atmosphere is what keeps patrons coming back to our Festival year after year. This year, I expect the festivities to continue ‘all night long’.”

In addition to Lionel Richie, Shaggy, Beres Hammond, Konshens, Tessanne Chin, the Cayon Pantastics, Andy Narell featuring Relator with special guest Etienne Charles, Superblue (Austin Lyons), Fay-Ann Lyons and Bunji Garlin were also announced as performers for the 2013 event

Shaggy, whose hits include “Boombastic,” “Luv Me, Luv Me,” “It Wasn’t Me,” and “Angel,” returns to the St. Kitts Music Festival for the third time in 2013.

In 2006, Shaggy said, “Being from Jamaica, the people of the smaller islands have a flavor of my extended family, everyone knowing each other. The energy, the love and the level of friendliness is absolutely magical. St. Kitts, here I come!” Best known internationally for his dancehall hit “Tempted to Touch” and the critically-acclaimed “Fire,” Beres Hammond also returns to the event, having last performed at the 2009 St. Kitts Music Festival to an enthusiastic crowd.

These artists complete a well-rounded musical roster, which also includes previously announced top local acts including Small Axe Band, Nu Vybes International, Grand Masters, Dejour, The Kore Band, Dagah and Charles Emanuel. The nightly line-up of performers is as follows-

Thursday June 27, 2013 Friday June 28, 2013 Saturday June 29, 2013

Small Axe Band Dejour The Cayon Pantastics

The Kore Band Dagah Andy Narell featuring Relator

Nu Vybes International Charles Emanuel with special guest Etienne Charles

Bunji Garlin Tessanne Chin Lionel Richie

Fay-Ann Lyons Konshens

Superblue (Austin Lyons) Shaggy

The Grand Masters Band Beres Hammond

Now in its 17^th year, the St. Kitts Music Festival attracts both locals and visitors alike. It features a wide range of musical styles on the popular market, including R&B, Jazz, Hip-Hop, Reggae, Soca, Calypso, Gospel and Contemporary music. Past artists have included such prominent acts as John Legend, T-Pain, Michael Bolton, K.C. and the Sunshine Band, UB40’s Ali Campbell, Wyclef Jean, Ne-Yo, Air Supply, Kenny “Babyface” Edmonds, Toni Braxton, The Commodores, Dionne Warwick, Billy Ocean, Sean Paul, Boyz II Men, King Konris, Stephen Marley, Regina Belle, Maxi Priest, Roberta Flack, Biggie Irie, Bunny Wailer and Lord Nelson.

The Festival begins at 8:00pm nightly and tickets are US $40 per night. For more information, including places to stay in St. Kitts, visit www.stkittsmusicfestival.com or “like” the St. Kitts Music Festival’s Facebook page.

St. Kitts is currently ranked at #2 in a list of the 16 Best Caribbean Vacations and #4 in a list of the 12 Best Islands in the World by US News & World Report. Last year, St. Kitts was named one of “5 Caribbean Islands to Discover Now” by MSNBC. It was also named one of the “Top 12 Spots that should be on your list for 2012” by Caribbean Travel + Life magazine and the island’s Brimstone Hill Fortress was named one of “10 Great Places To Explore The World’s Best-Kept Secrets” by USA Today. St. Kitts was also named a top destination for 2011 by both AOL Travel and British Airways.

Located in the northern Leeward Islands of the Caribbean, it offers a diverse tourism product developed from the destination’s natural beauty, cultural heritage and rich history. The island’s stunning variety of tourism attractions include hiking through the tropical rainforest, riding the region’s only scenic railway which connects the island’s former sugar plantations, visiting the Caribelle Batik factory, touring Brimstone Hill Fortress National Park, the only man-made UNESCO World Heritage Site in the Eastern Caribbean, ziplining, and more traditional vacation pastimes such as watersports, golf, shopping, tennis, gourmet dining, gaming at St. Kitts’ exclusive casino or simply relaxing on one of the island’s sandy beaches. Accommodations range from intimate plantation inns to larger hotels and resorts.

For more information about St. Kitts, please contact the St. Kitts Tourism Authority toll free from the US at 1-800-582-6208 or from Canada 1-888-395-4887, e-mail info@stkittstourism.kn, visit www.stkittstourism.kn, or connect on Facebook, Twitter and/or YouTube.

See also:

Exploring St Kitts, Caribbean island rich in heritage, natural attractions (Photos)

St Kitts Marriott, with top golf, spa, casino, beach, Kids Club is ideal getaway (Photos)

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Street Performers add to Festivities, Family Fun at 46th Festival d’été de Québec July 4-14

Festival d’été de Québec street performers, sponsored by Leclerc, are back again for 11 days of creative and original shows! This year finds them not only on Rue Saint-Jean and at Théâtre de La Bordée, but also in an exciting program of circus performances at Parc de l’Esplanade.

The 46th edition of the Festival d’été de Québec will be held from July 4 to 14, 2013.

“Street performers always give the Festival d’été de Québec a special flair. They grab our attention and make us laugh, they can inspire or astound us, but they never leave us indifferent,” says Michel Barette, who is in charge of the street arts program. “Circus is a type of performance that fascinates us the most, so we decided to give it a special place at Parc de l’Esplanade,” he added.

Parc de l’Esplanade

David Dimitri puts on a totally unique show inspired by his tours with Cirque du Soleil and the Big Apple Circus. Dubbed ‘Lord of the Wire’ by the New York Times, he is truly a one-man circus. Five Foot Fingers features five burlesque characters in a variety of stunning and daring circus cabaret acts. Vague de cirque perform their latest show, Carrousel et cordes à linge, whose highly acrobatic numbers are rooted in the tradition of travelling fun fairs. Also at Parc de l’Esplanade, audiences will love the quirky Fanfare Le S.N.O.B brass band, the antics of Rosie Volt the clown, the street music of Semèl Rebel, circus acts by Théâtre Attrape, the original mini-show by Toxique Trottoir, Kabir Percussions, and the theatre of objects performed by Elvis alAtac, the Sages Fous and the CréatureS Compagnie.

Shows at Parc de l’Esplanade: Free.
Every evening starting at 6 pm.

Smashed, at Théâtre de la Bordée

Smashed! treats festival fans to an exceptional circus performance. In a combination of high- precision juggling and theatrics, London’s Gandini Juggling pays tribute to the great German dancer, Pina Bausch. On stage, nine master jugglers transform their art into a form of dance, using everyday objects like apples and dishes. Composed of a series of live tableaux reminiscent of old photos depicting war scenes, strained relations, love and innocence lost, Smashed! promises to be a uniquely dramatic experience. The Festival d’été de Québec is putting on this show jointly with Montréal Complètement Cirque.

Smashed by Gandini Juggling: $13 phone reservation, $10 at the door or Festival pass.
Thursday July 11 to Sunday July 14 at 8:30 pm.

Rue Saint-Jean

The ever-popular street performers, sponsored by Leclerc, will be taking Rue Saint-Jean by storm from Place d’Youville to Côte du Palais. With street performers from France, the Netherlands, Spain and Québec, spectators can expect original artistic performances every evening. Festivalgoers are advised to keep their eyes and ears open if they don’t want to miss any of these wild and wacky shows! Watch for:

Street theatre in all its forms with Le Filament, Le Gestuaire, Poupées [K]rinkées, Mobile Home and NomadUrbains

The Teatro Pavana stilt walkers

Acrobatics by Bulles de Zinc

Musical street theatre with L’Aubergine

An original artistic techno creation by Marc-Andrée Goulet

Theatre of flying objects with Cal y Canto

Giant fan juggling with Shintaï JonGlo Théâtre

Shows on Rue Saint-Jean: Free.
Every evening starting at 6 pm.

Family Place, sponsored by le Lait

With something happening under the big top, at the amphitheatre or the Ephemeral Gardens, Family Place, sponsored by le Lait, is taking over the entire Espace 400^e site! From Friday July 4 to Sunday July 14, there’s a great choice of free family activities to choose from every day from 10:30 am to 4:30 pm.

“We’re lucky to have this outstanding venue for our activities at Family Place. Every year, we try to come up with an exciting new program that makes the most of the site. And with even more interactive activities planned this year, the kids will love it!” reports FEQ general manager Daniel Gélinas.

The big top will feature a slew of popular kid’s stars, including Arthur l’Aventurier, La Comtesse d’Harmonia, Carmen Campagne and Koukoulia, to name just a few of the shows that will have the whole family singing, dancing and laughing along.

This year there will be a new tent just for puppet shows. Everyone loves a puppet show, and the original and inventive creations produced by Aliona Munteanu, Puzzle Théâtre, Belzébrute and many others are sure to set the imagination free.

The program at the amphitheatre opens with the Brazilian drums of Le Bloco. In the days that follow, Le Filament and Artéfacts et Artifices will be presenting their street theatre, Strada its Fanfare Monfarleau and Shintaï JonGlo Théâtre will display their remarkable fan handling techniques. More fun and exciting shows will also be taking place around the Ephemeral Gardens.

Along with all these shows, Family Place also has a wide range of activities and sports, artistic and discovery workshops planned. Kids will be thrilled with the new ÉducaZoo and Repti-Zone exhibits where they can learn all about reptiles and other cool pets or exotic animals. Also offered: an acrobatics course, a skate park, a visual arts workshop, a wooden toy-making workshop, a workshop for budding scientists, extreme face painting and much more!

For festival information, www.infofestival.com.

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First Great American Roots Stomp at Union Hall, Brooklyn, May 3-4

Union Street Preservation Society is performing in the First Great American Roots Stomp, taking place in the heart of Park Slope, Brooklyn, Friday and Saturday, May 3-4, at Union Hall, 702 Union Street © 2013 Karen Rubin/news-photos-features.com

The First Great American Roots Stomp is taking place in the heart of Park Slope, Brooklyn Friday and Saturday, May 3-4, at Union Hall, 702 Union St. (Park Slope, Brooklyn).

Roll up your sleeves for two nights of hootin’, hollerin’, jazzin’, swingin’, foot-stompin’, barn-burnin’ revelry with ten fantastic bands from Brooklyn and the Northeast audaciously bringing Americana roots back into the spotlight.

The Great American Roots Stomp
Night One: Friday, May 3 – Tickets: $10
Night Two: Saturday, May 4 – Tickets: $10
Union Hall, 702 Union St. (Park Slope, Brooklyn)
Get your tickets now cause they’re gonna sell out at the door!

Night One: Friday, May 3
7:30pm – doors open

8:00 – Charlotte Cornfield

9:00 – The Alex Mallett Band (our bass player’s solo project!)

10:00 – The Whistling Wolves

11:00 – Union Street Preservation Society

12:00am – King Stork

Night Two: Saturday, May 4
7:30pm – doors open

8:00 – Skinny White Folk

9:00 – Seth Kessel and the Two Cent Band

10:00 – Red Hook Ramblers

11:00 – Barnyard Brothers

12:00am – North of Nashville

Blue Ridge Music Festival Ticket Prices Rise on April 16; Takes Place in Salem, VA June 1

With only a couple of months left to go, the highly-anticipated Blue Ridge Music Festival will see an increase in ticket price starting April 16. The one-day festival, to be held at Salem Stadium in Salem, Va., on June 1, will feature performances by Little Big Town, Hunter Hayes, Charles Esten, who plays Deacon Claybourne on ABC’s hit show “Nashville,” Gloriana, Colt Ford, Greg Bates, Will Hoge and Virginia’s own legendary party group, The Skip Castro Band. Tickets are currently on sale at the Salem Civic Center box office, all Ticketmaster locations and charge by phone at 1-800-745-3000.

The early-bird ticket price will end at 11:59 pm ET on April 15, when reserved and general admission field tickets will increase to $40 (plus additional fees). In addition, a very limited number of VIP tickets are being made available. VIP ticket holders will receive preferred reserved seating, preferred parking, VIP express entry, an invitation to the exclusive festival after-party, private bathrooms, private cash bar (beer & wine only), complimentary boxed lunch and a commemorative Blue Ridge Music Festival poster. VIP Experience tickets are $99.50 (plus additional fees).

“Because of today’s economy, we wanted to offer up the chance to see all of these great artists for a low price to music fans,” says Festival Producer Carey Harveycutter. “We are excited with the response we’ve gotten about the talent line-up and can’t wait until June 1 for our inaugural event to take place.”

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BlueRidgeMusicFestival

Twitter: www.twitter.com/blueridgefest

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Tickets for Telluride Blues & Brews Festival On Sale Now

The Telluride Blues & Brews is a three-day celebration of music and microbrews tucked in the mountains, and surrounded by breathtaking 13,000 foot peaks as a backdrop (photo by Barry Brecheisen).

The Telluride Blues & Brews Festival celebrates its 20th Anniversary this year on September 13-15, 2013. Come join us for one of the most scenic and intimate music festivals in the country, taking place in the world-famous resort town of Telluride, Colorado. Tickets for the 20th Annual Telluride Blues & Brews Festival have just gone on sale, March 1.

Telluride Blues & Brews is a three-day celebration of music and microbrews tucked in the mountains, and surrounded by breathtaking 13,000 foot peaks as a backdrop. The festival offers an eclectic mix of live blues, funk, rock, jam band, gospel and soul performances, and some of the best microbreweries in the country, with a wide variety of food and craft vendors, children’s activities, late night jams, and much more.

Tickets for Early Bird, VIP, Juke Joint (night venue), Camping, Campground Vehicle, and RV passes will all go on sale at 10 a.m. (MST). Early Bird, VIP, Campground Vehicle and RV passes are in limited quantities and sell out very quickly. Early Bird 3-Day passes are $145.00 and VIP 3-Day passes are $385.00 each.

For festival information or to purchase tickets visit us online at http://www.tellurideblues.com. To purchase tickets by phone, call toll-free at (866) 515-6166.

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Country Thunder Music Festival offers Shuttle Service with Hotel Stay Combo

With only a month left to go, Country Thunder, to be held July 19-22 in Twin Lakes, Wis., is ready to celebrate its 20^th anniversary the only way it knows how—with non-stop music and more on-site entertainment than ever before. Four-day passes to see favorite country acts, including Toby Keith, Blake Shelton, Jason Aldean, Brantley Gilbert, Luke Bryan, Big & Rich, Steve Holy, Easton Corbin, Hunter Hayes, Wade Bowen and more, are available for $140 through June 20 at 11:59 pm CDT. There are also a limited number of single-day tickets available. Visit www.countrythunder.com or call (866) 802-6418 to purchase tickets today.

Country Thunder is also announced its partnership with Lake Geneva Hotels and The Brat Stop in Kenosha, Wis., to provide patrons with a shuttle service to and from festival grounds. Shuttle service from the Lake Geneva Hotels is available only through a hotel stay combo package. The Brat Stop in Kenosha will be offering a shuttle service twice a day for $20 round trip. For scheduling and purchasing information as well as a list of nearby hotels, visit www.wisconsin.countrythunder.com and go to the information tab.

Campers can load in starting Wednesday, July 18 at 9 am and gates will close promptly at 10 pm. Front gate hours are Thursday-Sunday 9 am-10 pm CST.

Add a Port-O-Potty to your campsite for $115. The last day to reserve your P.O.P. is July 13th at 11:50pm CST. Also, if you wish to park a second motorized vehicle on your campsite you are required to purchase an Extra Vehicle Pass. This pass is only available over the phone. To purchase you must be the owner of the campsite and call our office at (866) 802-6418 to order. The last day to order your EVP is July 13th at 5pm CST. Additionally, Pat’s Services Inc. will be providing water and pumping for $30 per service. Call them at (262) 537-4988 or visit their website at www.patsservices.com to schedule their services.

Visit www.countrythunder.com or like at www.fb.com/countrythunderusa to stay up-to-date on one of the nation’s premier outdoor camping, music and entertainment festivals.

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Single Day, Bal de Maison Tickets to Telluride Blues & Brews Festival on Sale, June 15

Single day and Bal de Maison show tickets for the 19th Annual Telluride Blues & Brews Festival, held September 14-16, go on sale Friday, June 15.

Single day and Bal de Maison show tickets for the 19th Annual Telluride Blues & Brews Festival, held September 14-16, will go on sale Friday, June 15 at 10am (MST). Tickets can be purchased online at tellurideblues.com, by phone at 866.515.6166, or in person at both Telluride Music, located at 123 E. Colorado Ave and Wizard Entertainment, located at 126 East Colorado Avenue.

Every September, the bands, the fans, and the barrels of beer roll into Telluride Town Park for a 3-day celebration of music in mountains at the renowned Telluride Blues & Brews Festival.

“This year marks the 19th Annual, and the weekend promises to be the best one yet,” said Steve Gumble, Festival Director. “There is an enormous amount of musical talent this festival season from all genres of music.”

The 2012 Festival weekend features headliners Phil Lesh & Friends, Gov’t Mule, and The B-52s. Additional performances include Little Feat, Trombone Shorty & Orleans Avenue, Robert Randolph & the Family Band, The Chris Robinson Brotherhood, Anders Osborne, Heartless Bastards, MarchFourth Marching Band, Tab Benoit, Little Hurricane, The Lee Boys and many more. For the complete Festival lineup and schedule, please visit tellurideblues.com.

Additional Festival highlights include a wide variety of food and craft vendors, the Rainbow Kids area and Kid’s parade, Blues for Breakfast concerts, late night shows at local Juke Joints, and the Telluride Acoustic Blues Competition.

Three-day passes, Juke Joint tickets, and Camping passes are currently onsale now.

For festival information or to purchase tickets visit tellurideblues.com or call toll-free at (866) 515-6166.

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