Jamaican artists Movado (left) and Mr. Vegas (right) are among the acts to perform for the 2012 August Festival.

The Kassav is a popular Zouk band, will also be featured during the 2012 August Festival. Photo: Kassav

The Road Town Festival Village is named in honour of Claudette "Boopie" Smith who is a stalward contributor to the festival events over the years. Photo: Hezekiah Maddox

At a press conference yesterday June 21, 2012, the Festival and Fairs Committee unveiled the list which includes Jamaican top reggae singers Mr. Vegas, Junior Reid, Barrington Levy along with the zouk band Kassav.

The first event to kick start the festivities will be the traditional Prince and Princess Show of July 15, which will make way on July 26, 2012 for the official opening of the Claudette 'Boopie' Smith Festiville with the annual Gospel Fest show.

The festivities will continue on July 28 for the finals of the 2012 Calypso Monarch where several contestants will be seeking to defeat reigning king Luther B, and for the first time this year, the winner will walk away with a new car.

Reggae action will take over the festival village on August 3, with Christopher Martin, Barrington Levy and Junior Reid headlining the show with popular soca star from Trinidad and Tobago ending the night in soca style.

The International Soca/Calyspo night is known to be quite a hit among the older patrons with acts such as Lashing Dogs, Trinidad’s Shurwayne Winchester and St. Vincent’s Skinny Fabulous slated to perform. Zouk band Kassav and the VI’s Tino, along with Showtime are also on the line up to complete the package of entertainment.

This year, the Emancipation service and Freedom march will culminate as usual at the Sunday Morning Well in Road Town where a special sermon is normally given by a guest speaker. The 2012 Miss BVI Pageant will then be followed in the evening which will make way for the Rise and Shine tramp on August 6 in Road Town and the festival parade later in the day.

The second Rise and Shine Tramp will continue in Road Town on August 7.

Mr. Vegas, WCK and more for East End Festival

This year, the East End/Long Look festival village has been named in honour of Ms. Moviene Fahie. The Moviene Fahie Festiville will open on the evening of August 6 with an opening ceremony followed by entertainment which will include Dominica’s WCK.

Several acts are slated for the second night of the East End festivities including local reggae performers Shine I and Heritage, but there will also be a “soca explosion” with a variety of Caribbean artists performing which will end with Jamaica’s Mr. Vegas.

Following the Rise and Shine tramp in East End and parade, Pumpa with his famous “Massage” will be the main act on the evening of August 8 but not before Sweeta Band, the VI’s young fungi band Razor Blades and Leon and the Hot Shots, deliver their best on stage.

Mavado to headline Carrot Bay Cultural Fiesta

The action continues in Carrot Bay with the Carrot Bay Cultural Fiesta which will commence on August 9 with the Alfredo Delville Fisherman's Tournament.

The annual Torch Light process will be followed by the official opening of the village and performances from Spectrum Band and Razor Blades among others.

This year, it is the hope that more than one donkey races will take off since last year there were complaints of limited riders. Several other fun races are also billed for the cultural afternoon of August 10, including lime and spoon, three-legged race and the famous tug-o-war.

The evening will not be complete without the entertainment line-up of Xtreme, VI Band, Lil Rick, Pumpa and D Unit, and Movado.

The curtains on the 2012 August Festival will be drawn on August 11 with the final night at the Carrot Bay Cultural Fiesta featuring acts such as Tripple K, Skinny Fabulous, Jelena, and BV & Drastic.