By Toni Nicholas

The St Lucia Jazz festival has been known for attracting thousands of visitors to our shores over the years. And whilst the primary attraction is the mix of artistes on the line-up, many of the visitors on island use the opportunity to take in a good party and so do the locals during this period.

This has mushroomed into lots of spin-off events, featuring various activities from beach parties and boat rides to all night parties in the north of the island. All week long organized groups like London Elite who come here during the festival have been hosting their own events, whilst popular night clubs like "Pulse" and "Obar" are abuzz with late night parties.

As the St Lucia Jazz festival rolls into its final weekend, this Saturday one of the big after Jazz party events is expected to be "Red Ignite-Carnival Jump Off" presented by Dutch Productions and Red International Carnival Band. "Red Ignite" comes off at Carnival Central (the location of the former club Cocoa Cabana) in Rodney Bay on Saturday May 10th from 9:30pm. Hosted by radio personality Mr Pringles, the event will feature a blend of St Lucian and Trinidadian acts many of whom have worked with the production house of Dutch Productions.

Out of Trinidad the fete will feature Soca stars Iwer George and KMC with his band Red White and Black. Courtney Louis, of Dutch Productions has produced material for both acts over the past two years. Also on the cards are Ninja Dan, Kakal and Marianne also from the Dutch Stables. From the758 recording studios will come the 2007 Road March king Ricky T, Teddyson and Ashanti. St Lucian band Spectacle with Nicole David will also be on show.

Saturday’s event will also unveil the portrayal of Red International Carnival band for 2008. Red International is a Carnival grouping formed in 2005, with the focus of providing their revelers with quality entertainment, not just at Carnival time but year round. Last year the band portrayed Viva Las Vegas with approximately six hundred revelers.

"Red Ignite-Carnival Jump Off" the organizers say is a means of injecting some of the Carnival spirit into visitors and locals alike. It is the hope that these and other events will spur lots of interests by visitors in St Lucia’s carnival which runs this year from June to July 22, 2008.

Caption: From L-R: Ricky T, KMC, Courtney Louis, Piper.