Running on Culture & Coconut Water: 58 Days to Go Until CARIFESTA XV

It’s official. I am running on adrenaline, coconut water, and two hours of decent sleep. At this

point, I am rest-adjacent, somewhere between sleep agnostic and “my tired is tired.” So yes,

you guessed it: we are 58 days, 1,392 hours, and 5,011,200 seconds away from the greatest,

freshest cultural festival in the region CARIFESTA XV.

And y’all, it’s beginning to feel like the Caribbean Culture Olympics.

As someone working behind the scenes, let me tell you it’s a privilege. A whirlwind. A beautiful,

mad, soul-filling hustle to be a part of something truly historic. We are gathering the brightest

cultural minds, the boldest creatives, and the legends of our time from music and dance to

theatre, visual arts and film. I won’t name drop (yet) but just know: the guest list is giving iconic.

A Sneak Peek Behind the Curtain:

Late nights? Check.

Chefette runs and coconut water hydration? Double check.

Leaving work at 10 PM only to take off your shoes and work again ‘til 2 AM? Absolutely.

Sleep? Theoretically.

Laundry? Let's not talk about it.

You ever do a smell check on your blouse and convince yourself "Febreze is basically

detergent"? Welcome to the team.

Phones are constantly charging. Laptops look like they’ve survived war zones. Site visits,

CARICOM coordination calls, venue walkthroughs, and “Where did I put that file again?”

moments are now our daily vocabulary.

But it’s all worth it because the Caribbean is coming home to Barbados.

If You’re a Visiting Delegate Listen Up:

Confirm your accommodation. The website has hotel and Airbnb options, and yes it’s summer,

and the prices are reflecting the heat. Remember that friend from UWI who owes you a favour?

Now is the time to call.

Register for your workshops and events ASAP. Whether you want to learn dance, dive into a

film boot camp, or master the art of Caribbean storytelling, it’s first come, first served.

Accreditation is open. If you haven’t filled out your form yet, stop scrolling and go do that.

Mark Your Calendar:

The Official CARIFESTA XV Launch is happening June 26th

Watch it live on YouTube at 5:00 PM AST

In my best Bruce Lee Almightly voice:

“I cannot wait until tomorrow.”

We’re in deep with CARICOM.

We’re locking venues.

We’re making history.

And I’m exhausted. But joyfully so. Because being part of CARIFESTA is more than a job it’s a

calling. A celebration. A declaration that Caribbean culture is loud, proud, and unstoppable.

Are you ready? Because we are planning and and we’re bringing the whole region with us. With

love your Caribbean culture cousin Kim.

Written by Kim Butcher

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