- WINSTON SILL/FREELANCE PHOTOGRAPHER
GraceKennedy's Douglas Orane and wife Michelle lead the media guests as they danced the night away at the annual media party, held at Acadia Drive , Barbican on Thursday March 17.
Daviot Kelly, Staff Reporter
THE OTHERWISE peaceful community of Acadia, for one night at least, went into bedlam on Thursday March 17, as GraceKennedy CEO Douglas Orane and his team threw a wild media party.
With enough Chinese lanterns to illuminate an entire city, guests filed into what has become one of the most anticipated parties of the year. Like last year, the musical onus was placed on the exceptional 50/50 Band and as customary, they delivered. Their infectious music soon got the CEO himself to head for the dance floor, wife Michelle in tow. That got the crowd into it and the floor was soon inundated with dancing bodies. There was a four-way arch over the dancefloor with four leaf clovers hanging from it; a nice touch to celebrate St. Patrick's Day which was the same day.
VERSATILITY
First, the band gave them disco, then it was to the rocksteady era. Versatility was evident with a mixture of dancehall, reggae and '80s retro songs. The dancefloor really felt the weight when they went all the way back to the ska era. There was nothing they could not play and nothing guests couldn't dance to.
Nothing in life is perfect, but the food on offer came pretty close. The main food tent was dubbed the "Caribbean Fiesta Menu" and it brought forth dishes from five islands of the region. Guests licked their fingers after trying such dishes as dhal and roti from Trinidad and Tobago; pepperpot from Guyana; Grenada's national dish oil down and cuckoo and flying fish straight from Barbados. Of course the local contingent was well represented with jerk chicken and pork among the tasty delights. All was washed down with ones choice of beverage.
Among the dancing guests were Kay Osbourne; Kari Alana Morrison; Rohan Powell; Francis 'Packer' Kennedy; Glen McFarlane; Brian Schmidt; Chris Sarju; Leighton Levy; Yolande Gyles; Stephanie McIntyre; Irene Graham; Milton Walker; Andrew Messado; Wayne Wray; Derek Wilkes; Christene King; Desmond Richards; Erica Allen; Maurice Foster; Geoff Brown; Sandra Moore; Peter Melhado; Esmond Williams; Carol Francis; Kerlyn Brown; Wayne Walker; Dara Smith; Judith Alberga and as many others who could fit on the lawns.
