Schools Panorama stage set for this weekend

The line-up is now set for this year’s National Schools Panorama.

The participating schools picked their position for this year’s event with the assistance from Jerry Aska Committee Chair on state media last Friday.

The defending primary champions, Pigotts Primary will open the evening with their rendition of ‘Good’ by the late Ricardo Drue, followed by Sunnyside Tutorial with ‘Sand to the Beach’ by Menacer XL. Nelvie N Gore will play third with ‘Don’t Stop the Party’ and Villa Primary, fourth with ‘Island Girl’.

Greenbay Primary who are 5th will play their rendition of ‘Good Life’ by Ricardo Drue while TN Kirnon will follow with ‘Dear Carnival’ by Sammie C.

Meanwhile in the Secondary section, defending champions, Princess Margaret School will get the ball rolling with ‘Hurricane a Come’ by the Burning Flames, Ottos Comprehensive School will follow. They will also play ‘Hurricane a Come’.

Clare Hall Secondary School is third with ‘Jumby’ by King Obstinate and Antigua Girls High School, fourth with ‘Oath’ by Tian Winter.

All Saints Secondary School will play fifth with a Burning Flames arrangement of ‘Magician’ while Christ the King High School will be sixth with another Burning Flames rendition, ‘One Bad Apple’.

St. Joseph’s Academy is seventh with ‘Antigua is Home’by Rupert Baba Blaze.

St. Anthony’s Secondary School is 8th with an Asher Otto arrangement of ‘Soca Overload’ while Antigua Grammar School will play ‘Subway Jam’ by King Swallow.

The ACB National Schools Panorama forms part of the 43rd Independence celebrations.

Over the years, the event has garnered a large following from public schools, and this year’s addition of several private institutions shows that the genre is growing.

This is according to Cecilia Thwaites Festivals Commission Public Relations Officer.

“When we look at our senior panorama during Carnival they have a hype, an anticipation but not more than School’s Panorama. It is a lot more competitive and the government schools have always been an integral part for the junior panorama but now we are seeing a lot of private schools coming back.

“So, the development program is definitely there,” Thwaites said.

Marita Laurent, ACB Senior Manager of Marketing and Communications, echoed her sentiments and shared the company’s commitment to growing the love for pan on the junior level.

This is ACB Caribbean’s third year of sponsoring the event.

“We’ve been involved since before the pandemic, and we are really excited that we are back into this full activation. ACB is a supporter of culture and youth development, and it’s going to be a great event. I love the location and the set-up. I think the schools are excited, and we are excited to support them.

“The focus for ACB Caribbean legacy-wise is that we were always a sponsor of senior panorama but we shifted that because we saw the need to invest in that development side to continue and engage and get the youth excited and out there to build up this event,” Laurent added.

The ACB Caribbean National School’s Panorama will be held at the Antigua Port Authority Parking lot on Saturday, October 26.

Admission is $20 for adults and $10 for children.

It begins at 6 pm.