Let’s welcome the month of May. It’s the month when partygoers gear up for huge and important celebrations before the big summertime events like Carifiesta.
Two mega deejays Ding Dong from Trinidad and Riggo Suave from NYC will be touching Montreal for the first time in two big events (Fetes) on Saturday, May 13, Soca vs Dancehall (Cooler Experience) and Saturday, May 20, for Army Fete pt 3.
Let me first explain the definition of a “FETE”, a word loosely used when describing a huge festival, party or celebration.
One of the biggest fetes to be introduced to the Montreal party scene is the Cooler Fete. This one encourages partygoers to walk with their cooler stocked with your drinks; these are the value fetes as they are normally priced as hefty as an all-inclusive fete.
A little history of Cooler fete in Montreal tells us that the promotional team of “Caribbean Soca Explosion & Professor” introduced the Cooler Fete concept to Montreal in 2008 featuring Bunji Garlin and Fay-ann Lyon as a tribute to the late Andre, aka Dj Woodstock.
In 2009, both promotion teams split and decided to do their very own Cooler Fete, and as the popular phrase goes, “united we stand, divided we fall”, Only one team was able to continue this Fete as an annual Pre-Jump event till 2014.
The absence of Cooler Fete brought a void in the Montreal party scene as everyone kept asking, when will it be coming back?
The original Cooler Fete always had a capacity of 800 people, but after it stopped a few promoters did small events such as “Mini Cooler or BYOB” holding an average of 100 people, which never gave the Montreal feters that true Cooler experience.
Now we have good news as the Coolers vibes is back in Montreal, thanks to those who decided to add the Cooler concept as part of their annual event called “Soca vs Dancehall.
It’s a successful annual event that caters to 500-600 people in downtown Montreal.
Moe, a member of the “Nitelife Entertainment” who frequently travel to Trinidad carnival decided three years without a Cooler event in Montreal was enough and decided to add the “Cooler Experience” theme to their annual event Soca vs Dancehall on Saturday, May 13, which features the official Viking Dj “Ding Dong” from Trinidad for the first time live in Montreal.
This Cooler Experience may be a one-time edition, but the focus is to give partygoers that true Caribbean Cooler Experience they have been longing for.
If Cooler Experience wasn’t enough for you this month, we have the return of Montreal, the only and biggest camouflage dress event on Saturday, May 20. This year’s Army fete promises to surpass those of the past as its “The Battle Of Genres” and features the stage king himself, “Riggo Suave” from NYC for the first time at Catalogna Lounge.
May will surely give you a musical jumpstart for the summer and free you from the depressing winter.
Carnival Nationz and First Nations Leaders
Other news: First Nations leaders in Ontario are saying Toronto Caribbean Carnival is disrespecting their indigenous dress and culture as Carnival Nationz revealed their theme on Tuesday, May 2nd,”Oh Canada” to mark the Country’s 150th birthday and some of the costumes portray Chiefs and Warriors.
Island Facts
May 3rd, 1494 – Columbus discovers Jamaica. He names it “St. Iago.”
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Production Sounds Chart
1 Addictive – Popcaan
2 Wine To The Top – Vybz Kartel and Wiz Kid
3 Single – Orlando Octave
4 Banga – Aidonia
5 Full Extreme – Ultimate Rejects
6 Fast Wine – Machel Montano
7 Whole Hog – Flanka
8 Big Bad Soca – Bunji Garlin
9 Big Girl – Patrice Roberts
10 PotHole – Luta
