Chante Shaw shows how to climb a rock. - photos by marcia rowe
Various sections of the spacious, lush, green lawns of Hope Botanical Gardens are ideal for any family-oriented event. On Monday, National Heroes Day, one such event took place on a sizeable section of the grounds. It was 'The Hope Gardens Heroes Family Fundaze', but the happy sounds that came from the well-placed, large, colourful rides, the tantalising aroma of jerked meats from food stalls sandwiched between the various rides and the stage show provided more than "Fundaze".
It was a one-day family retreat with a difference.
A large number of Jamaican parents answered organisers CNIS and CEG's invitation to "bring the entire family". Some came armed with blankets or chairs, while others were content to sit on any available seats or just utilise the grass.
They moved constantly from the rides to the stage area, with the food stalls also getting their fair share of attention. And not even the rains, the dimly lit stage or the malfunctioning CD player in the dying moments of the live concert were deterrents.
'We want more'
"We want more," the audience chanted after a creative performance by the group C Sharp featuring Ding Dong, who performed his hit single I Will Be There, a cappella. When the rains came, the speaker boxes and other equipment were covered and this might have caused the malfunction, but it was clear that the music-loving fans were not perturbed as they briskly put away umbrellas to dance and sing along. Young singing sensation, QQ, was also in the group and gave a cameo performance.
The lengthy, but by no means boring concert comprised different forms of entertainment: giveaways, poetry, gymnastics, mimes, magicians, dancers and various vocalists. Cameal Davis, the duo called Moments and Nickeshia Barnes, all formerly of the Digicel Rising Stars series, were on hand to entertain. Davis performed her signature cover version of Spotlight, while Moments teased the crowd with a medley of love songs including When I Am In Love and Muriel.
The group Nomaddz gave a taste of their brand of entertainment, which included Being in Love. Second-place winner in the 2009 JCDC Gospel Competition, Kimelia Isaacs, made two appearances. In her second appearance she was as powerful in her delivery as in her first. Avodah, a Seven-day Adventist group, was perfect in harmony and Nature also gave a creditable performance.
Dancin' Dynamite duo, Card Unit, gave a scintillating performance in both of their appearances; likewise the all-male Spanish Town Dancers, winners of this year's World Reggae Dance Competition.
Former Edna Manley College student, Mervin Spencer, wearing full black, white gloves and white make-up, was precise with his mime actions. He took the audience through the blowing of balloons and managed to give a satire of the recent 'balloon boy' saga in the United States.
'Magical' acts
Children having fun in the bounce-a-bout.
Magician Deh Deh (Dennis Edmondson) was mesmerising in his acts. His interactive tricks were well received. Gymnasts from the Ishimoto studio gave splendid tumbles and clean landings. And eight-year-old Tajarie Rose from Linstead gave a mature delivery of a poem titled After Shock.
The performances were linked by giveaways. MC Otis Hamilton was brilliant in marshalling the various giveaway acts. They were engaging and ranged from answering heritage-related questions to the audience identifying parents and children who looked alike. He also did a good job of introducing the various artistes.
On the other side of the entertainment spectrum, the rides for the children varied. They included rock climb, equaliser, Ferris wheel, water slide and bounce-a-bout - all strategically placed out of range of the stage show.
Paula-Anne Porter-Jones representing one of the organisers, CEG, told The Gleaner she was very happy about the day's events. The crowd was as expected and there was a wider arrays of stalls in comparison to the Easter Monday (of this year) function. She was also pleased that the content of the entertainment was family friendly.
CNIS and CEG were employed by the Nature Preservation Foundation to stage 'The Hope Gardens Heroes Family Fundaze'. All proceeds will go towards the upkeep of Hope Gardens and its zoo. The organisers also hope to stage future events on major holidays.