Why the Fringe Feels personal: A heartbeat at connection CARIFESTA X

I still remember my first meeting with Rodney Grant, the Fringe Festival Coordinator for CARIFESTA XV. It wasn't just a planning session per say it felt like stepping into the soul of the festival. Listening to Rodney talk about the vision for the Fringe, I felt something shift, there was this spark, this undeniable energy around the idea of bringing art into Bajan communities, where it's most alive and impactful. That moment stayed with me and it's that feeling of connection that I want to share with you. The Fringe Festival is more than a side event, it's the festival's heartbeat. It's where art becomes intimate, and expression becomes personal.

At CARIFESTA XV, the Fringe is leading the charge to decentralise the festival experience, taking performances, workshops, and cultural storytelling directly into Bajan communities. This year, we're not just inviting people to the festival we're bringing the festival to them. What excites me most is how the Fringe opens up space for meaningful encounters. A pop-up dance performance in Oistins Bay Garden. A spoken word session in a secondary school. A drumming circle in a Deacons community centre. These aren't just events, they're shared moments, where artists and audiences meet as equals, where culture isn't distant or formal, but familiar and alive.

For visiting delegations, this is a chance to go beyond the big venues and step into the everyday rhythm of Barbados. It's a way to engage with people where they live, dream, and celebrate. It's a chance to reach the granny who only goes to the post office to cash her pension cheque, the child home all summer who never seen a play, the auntie who still sings folk songs under her breath. And that's why the Fringe matters, it reminds us that culture isn't something that only happens on big stages, it happens in the spaces where life unfolds. It's where stories are told with honesty, where memories are made, and where art truly belongs to everyone.

As CARIFESTA XV approaches, I can't wait to see and engage with people where they live, dream, and celebrate. It's a chance to reach the granny who only goes to the post office to cash her pension cheque, the child home all summer who never seen a play, the auntie who still sings folk songs under her breath. And that's why the Fringe matters, it reminds us that culture isn't something that only happens on big stages, it happens in the spaces where life unfolds. It's where stories are told with honesty, where memories are made, and where art truly belongs to everyone. As CARIFESTA XV approaches, I can't wait to see how the Fringe evolves, as a spark, a movement, a special heartbeat of the festival. If you're an artist, performer, or delegation ready to be part of this powerful community connection, register now at carifesta.net.

Let's make something unforgettable, together, in the heart of the people.

#voicenotesfromthevillage #carifestaxv #fringefestival

Written by Kim Butcher

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