BASSETERRE, St Kitts– Cannabis smokers will be allowed an exclusive zone at this year’s 2023 St Kitts Music Festival called a ‘420-Friendly’ festival, after St Kitts and Nevis lawmakers passed the Smoking (Designated Areas) Bill, 2023, in their National Assembly on Tuesday, June 20, 2023.
Ahead of the passing of the bill, the local Minister for Tourism, the Honourable Marsha T. Henderson said at a press conference on June 19, 2023, that the festival will have different smoking designated areas.
“We will have an Act, once it is passed, for designation of certain public areas as smoking areas for which the Warner Park Stadium on the mound will be what we call the smokers’ lounge,”
She added that the music festival, which kicks off today, June 22, 2023, now in its 25th year, is a part of the overall tourism product as the country prepares for the marketing of cannabis tourism, which has the potential to stimulate the local tourism economy and create a niche there.
The Minister stated; however, that the cannabis should be pre-rolled before the event. “More and more of the world’s top festivals are now cannabis friendly and the time is right for us to work towards normalising the use of cannabis so that it is no longer seen as taboo or unacceptable,” she added.
The festival, which kicks off today, features a number of soca artists scheduled to perform on night one of the three-day festival, including Kes The Band, Patrice Roberts, Preedy, and Nailah Blackman, with organisers promising an experience like no other.
Big names in music for St. Kitts!
The Saint Kitts Music Festival will feature an impressive mix of local and regional artists, with other acts scheduled to perform such as Mr Bagnall, Nicha B, Akaiiusweet, Kollision Band, Small Axe Band, Brand Masters Band, Nu Vybes Band, Skinny Fabulous, Ricardo Drue and Dexta Daps.
Day two tomorrow, Friday, June 23, 2023, will feature the 313 Family, Chronixx, Byron Messia, Govana, Skillibeng and Koffee while day 3, Saturday, June 24, 2023, will feature Romain Virgo, Erica Edwards, Valient, Air Supply, Burna Boy, Teejay and Gramps Morgan.
Meanwhile, in the [British] Virgin Islands, the territory’s Premier has been facing criticism for the planned staging of a June 30, 2023, ‘Non-Stop’ concert featuring Konshens to celebrate the country’s non-stop flights from Miami to the VI. The concert is forecasted to attract more tourists to the VI.
Scores of tourists have also been traveling to St Kitts and Nevis to celebrate their 420-Friendly Music Festival and, of course, enjoy the smokers’ lounge.
In the VI; however, its Cannabis Licensing Act, while passed in 2020 in the House of Assembly, has been refused assent by the Governor and UK Government.
