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Peppy Entertainment and Promotions Weekly e-Newsletter: July 22, 2010
Saturday, July 24 is Miss Caribbean Metro Beauty Pageant!

Summer is in Full Effect:  Carnivals, Festivals, Cookouts and more!
summertime
(Above:  Tanya Powell, Keisha Largie and Peppy have fun in the sun at Linganore Reggae Wine Festival on 7/17/10)
This past weekend was mega-fun for me as I was out enjoying the weather with friends.   While the sun was not shining bright enough for me to run and hide, it was HOT and I was sweating more than I do in a Bikram Yoga class.  Despite that, I felt great and was in full PEP mode!  It was good to see so many black people out enjoying the day with their families and loved ones.  Black Love just makes me want to jump up and DANCE -- sooooo beautiful!  It was also great to see other folks, especially those who really needed a tan, dancing up a storm at the Reggae Wine Festival.  When you mix wine and sun, and throw in some sweet reggae music -- after a while, everyone looks the same through dark glasses.  Cheers! 

(Below:  Half Pint in action at Jamaica Day Reggae Festival)
halfpint
On Sunday, the
4th Annual Jamaica Day Reggae Festival was a BLAST!
From the moment we drove in and saw all those cars, we knew it was going to be excellent.  This is my third year attending the festival and I can honestly say that it is getting better and better as far as attendance, vendors, and logistics.  The entertainment was stellar -- I missed the local bands except Jah Works but since I have seen all the bands perform before, I know that they all gave great performances.  Everyone who is anyone in the entertainment and promotions business was there; tons of families, couples, and non-Caribbean folks were there; and more importantly, ALL the artists who were billed to perform were there and gave wonderful performances.  From speaking to people in the audience it was evident that many of them came out to see the "rose among thorns,"
Tanya Stephens.  
Tanya and her management team were very cool backstage, and her performance was decent...personally I think she could have put a little bit more "umph" into it.  Even after kicking off her high heels, she still did not do much in the way of really engaging the audience despite singing most of her hit songs, but the audience loved her and that is what counts.  And in her defense, she did warn the audience that "mi naah dance fi unno tonight enuh" so there you go. 

Half Pint
was my favorite performer - both on and off stage.  He is such a cool brother and had many of us in stitches backstage.  His performance was very engaging and it was so good to see him after so many years.  His voice is still pretty strong, he can move well and he seems to frozen in time because he looks as if he has not aged at all.  I am going to have to start eating and/or drinking whatever he is having. 
T
inga Stewart did a great performance -- belting out many of the hit songs that were popular back in the day when he was a Jamaican Festival Song contest winner.  Jah know Star, when he started singing "Nuh Weh Nuh Betta Dan Yaad," the yaadies in the crowd literally WOKE UP!  Songs like those made me miss the good times I had participating in Jamaica's Annual Festival Extravaganza back in the day...*sigh*  Freddie McGregor can never disappointment me because he is such a great singer with so many hits songs.  I was, however, disappointed that he did not perform with a band, and there were a few annoying instances when his tracks were skipping.  Like a seasoned professional, Mr. "Big Ship" rolled with the punches and many seemed oblivious of the snags :-) 
skiptomalou
(Above: serani doing his thing on stage)

Serani closed the show and did most of his hit songs before I decided to call it a night and leave about 10:35pm.  From the moment he touched the stage, he had the ladies (and some men) in a frenzy. When he added a few hip movements and did some "skip to ma lou," all hell broke loose!  I actually enjoyed his DJ (who looked like Big Belly Sky Juice) a lot -- he was very good at hyping the crowd and playing Serani's tracks.  Even as I was leaving, I could hear Serani "wowing" the crowd so I think it is safe to say that he was a hit!  The backing band, New Kingston Band, which comprises of three brothers and a father were excellent!  They deserve major kudos for backing Tinga Stewart, Tanya Powell and Half Pint so well.

Kudos to Carlos and Elaine Daley for again bringing such a wholesome, fun, cultural, and family-oriented event to the area.  Big ups to all the vendors -- especially Rasta Yabba who hooked me up, artists, promoters, radio personalities, bartenders, and attendees who were out enjoying the 4th Annual Jamaica Day Reggae Festival.  Click HERE to see my slide-show of the event, and keep supporting each other.

This weekend, the Miss Caribbean Metro Beauty Pageant is MY top pick, but scroll down to the Events Section to see what else is going on.

Have a super-duper weekend and upcoming week,

Rosie "Peppy" Parke
Creative Director
Peppy Entertainment & Promotions, LLC
OUR READERS WRITE...
"Hi Rosie,

As always I enjoy reading your newsletter.  I just returned from my vacation in Ocho Rios, Jamaica and boy did I have a good time!  What a beautiful, beautiful island.  I plan to go back to take in more of the culture.  The people, the music, and the food were all great!  My favorite dish was ackee and codfish!  Yummy!  Anyway, I thought I would let you know my husband and I had a great time."

Melva M.


"Dear Peppy,

Your newsletter is like a breath of fresh air.  Your writing is very engaging and at times I feel like I am right there with you...I get all your punchlines and you are hilarious, LOL.  Anyway, thanks for posting the information on Sugar Minott's passing.  If it was not for you, I never would have known he died.  Take care."

Nneka B.
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Movementunes
Positive music...all day long!

Deadly Instincts
a novel by Racquel Brown Gaston

Reggae Tuesdays
at Carolina Kitchen sponsored by Caribbean Vibes Radio

Jamaican Nationals Association

Caribbean Professional Network

Life Pieces to Masterpieces

VOLUNTEERS NEEDED 
The DC Black Theatre Festival is now recruiting for Volunteers to work on various stage productions.  Performances will take place on seven stages throughout the city of Washington, DC,       August 1 - 8, 2010. 
Visit www.dcbtf.org to learn more about the positions and the festival in general.
HOT UPCOMING EVENTS
rasidor

CATCH RISING SUN REGGAE BAND LIVE THIS FRIDAY, JULY 23 AT AUSTIN GRILL IN SILVER SPRING
RISINGGRILL

CARIBBEAN BEAUTIES ON DISPLAY THIS SATURDAY

MISSCARIBBEAUTIES

(Above:  Some of this year's contestants surround last year's Queen, Miss Chardelle Moore)

This Saturday, July 24 will be an evening of beauties on display at the 4th Annual Miss Caribbean Metro Beauty Pageant.  Twelve ladies representing various Caribbean islands will compete for the crown in various sections:  Swimwear, Talent, and Formal Wear.

Come out and show your support for Puerto Rico, Guyana, Jamaica, Trinidad & Tobago, Barbados, and Grand Cayman or just come out because you admire beautiful and talented young ladies:

LALY FERNANDEZ, 21 OF PUERTO RICO

LORI LAING, 21 OF JAMAICA

TONI BURNETT, 21 OF GUYANA

COLEEN DUNCAN, 21 OF TRINIDAD & TOBAGO

JAZMIN HACKETT, 20 OF BARBADOS

CRYSTAL SMALL, 20 OF TRINIDAD & TOBAGO

SARNICE GEOHAGAN, 20 OF JAMAICA

ANEQUA CAMPBELL, 25 OF JAMAICA

KENEISHA MORRIS, 21 OF JAMAICA

ABBY CHARLES, 28 OF TRINIDAD & TOBAGO

CANDICE YOUNG, 21 OF GRAND CAYMAN

SHARMAIN GREAVES, 18 OF GUYANA

The event will be held at Charles Herbert Flowers Performing Arts Center located at 10001 Ardwick Ardmore Road, Springdale, MD

Tickets: $25 in Advance and $35 at the Door

7:30pm SHARP

metro2METRO1

INTERESTED IN TAKING THE BUS TO CARIBANA?
Forget the hassles of taking a plane or driving on your own.  Join MJ Travel next weekend for an awesome trip to Caribana in Toronto, Canada.  You will be riding in style on a mid-level luxury touring coach which seats 38 passengers, plus tour operator and co-pilot.

Amenities include, over 225 cubic feet of under coach luggage space, restroom onboard, reclining seats, foot rests, reading lamps, overhead package racks, large panoramic frameless windows, PA system, DVD, CD and Stereo, and passenger area refrigerator.

 TO GET ON THE BUS AND EXPERIENCE CARIBANA, VISIT WWW.MJTRAVELGROUP.EVENTBRITE.COM OR CLICK ON THE FLIER BELOW.

caribanabustour 


UPCOMING EVENTS SPONSORED BY PEPPY ENTERTAINMENT & PROMOTIONS  
African Heritage Festival on Saturday, August 7

Bilal Sunni-Ali LIVE in DC on Thursday, August 12

Taste Jamaica Festival on Sunday, August 15

awesomeautumfront


Register now for Carib United's NIRVANA.
nirvana


www.crossroadsclub.com
www.zanzibar-otw.com

 

Peppy Entertainment & Promotions specializes in Event Planning and Management, Public Relations Services, Artist Development, and other creative services.  Contact us today to "Get PEP! The Creative Choice."

Missed last week's newsletter?  GRAB IT HERE.
Sincerely,
 
Rosie "Peppy" Parke
Peppy Entertainment and Promotions
[email protected]
301-395-1013
www.peppypromotions.com