Send pictures to us
Send us your pictures and video by text, email or by uploading. Click here to find out how. »
|
|
|
|
Reggae fever hits Southampton to celebrate biggest liner
10:35am Monday 28th April 2008
By Will Carson »
REGGAE fever hit Southampton as the city hosted its first Caribbean festival.
Thousands of people flocked to Mayflower Park to join in the festivities to mark the arrival of Royal Caribbean International's new cruise ship Independence of the Seas.
Festival-goers enjoyed entertainment from samba and steel drum bands, reggae groups and DJs.
Dozens of stalls selling authentic Caribbean arts and crafts tempted shoppers, while the hungry could chose between a variety of stands selling traditional food.
There was also a funfair to keep children young and old entertained, and a beach area provided the perfect location to soak up the atmosphere in full view of the largest cruise ship in the world.
On board hundreds of invited guests, including Daily Echo competition winners, had the chance to look around.
Visitors could view the ship's luxurious staterooms, sample food in one of the restaurants and were able to tackle one of the highest rock climbing walls on the water or learn to surf on the FlowRider.
There was also a poolside performance by chart-topping pop band Scouting for Girls, who climaxed their set by jumping into the water.
More entertainment was provided by an ice dance show and a musical production by the ship's troupe of singers and dancers in the on-board Alhambra Theatre.
The festival was brought to a close by a spectacular fireworks display over Southampton Water last night.
Click here to see more videos from Independence of the Seas
Independence of the Seas will be officially named in a ceremony in front of hundreds of guests in the ship's West End-style Alambrah Theatre on Wednesday.
The largest cruise ship ever to operate from the UK, Independence of the Seas is spending the next six months based in the city, taking passengers to the Mediterranean, the Canary Islands and Ireland.
It is expected that she will leave Southampton for a short two-night voyage at about 6pm today and again on Wednesday at the same time.
She will leave on her maiden voyage on Friday, May 2.
Your Say YourEcho
outandabout, says...
11:42am Mon 28 Apr 08
Fair play to Royal Caribbean and the Council - a free event with some good music and a sense of something different.
All of you who moan every day on these pages about there being nothing to do in Southampton should try to get out a bit more and take notice of what's going on in your city.
A couple of suggestions :-
1. Make it an annual event.
2. Make the music, stalls and exhibitions a larger part of the whole event, and reduce or move the funfair.
Mike, Southampton says...
11:44am Mon 28 Apr 08
Unfortunate about the visibility at the firework display... but it's the weather - what can you do?
George, Yawns-ville says...
11:51am Mon 28 Apr 08
I hated the Rice and pea, nice Rum.
bingolover, On the Beach says...
12:17pm Mon 28 Apr 08
i-did, your mum says...
12:21pm Mon 28 Apr 08
Mr E, eastleigh says...
1:07pm Mon 28 Apr 08
outandabout, says...
1:16pm Mon 28 Apr 08
Mr E wrote:Glass Houses and Stones comes to mind.
If this event was the best southampton has to offer then god help southampton...
Attendance was not mandatory. I went and it was ok.
If you don't like what's on offer stay out of Southampton and see what the borough of Eastleigh has to offer - some train spotting possibly.
Arthur T. Flowers, Southampton says...
2:24pm Mon 28 Apr 08
The open top bus tour of the docks was superb as well.
David, Eastleigh says...
2:45pm Mon 28 Apr 08
outandabout wrote:Lol. You had a free street party.
Mr E wrote: If this event was the best southampton has to offer then god help southampton...Glass Houses and Stones comes to mind. Attendance was not mandatory. I went and it was ok. If you don't like what's on offer stay out of Southampton and see what the borough of Eastleigh has to offer - some train spotting possibly.
Great. Southampton the place to be in the south.
nt.
Jimmy, The Beach says...
2:57pm Mon 28 Apr 08
Should make this an annual event like they have with the Mela!
We need more events like this in the city espcially losing the Balloon and Flower festival and the boat races.
outandabout, says...
2:58pm Mon 28 Apr 08
David wrote:OK, so what major events were happening in Eastligh at the weekend ?
outandabout wrote:Lol. You had a free street party. Great. Southampton the place to be in the south. nt.Mr E wrote: If this event was the best southampton has to offer then god help southampton...Glass Houses and Stones comes to mind. Attendance was not mandatory. I went and it was ok. If you don't like what's on offer stay out of Southampton and see what the borough of Eastleigh has to offer - some train spotting possibly.
In Southampton there was a free event that many people enjoyed.
I'm not saying that Southampton is the entertainment capital of the South, but at least some effort was made this weekend. I'm sure it was better than staring at the airport and the railway sidings - which is pretty much all that's on offer in Eastleigh.
Like I said before, if you don't like what Southampton has to offer don't come into the big city - stay in your village.
kt, swanwick says...
4:00pm Mon 28 Apr 08
One moan the fairground rides were very expensive and mainly run by Polish men who did not speak any English at all.
David, says...
5:00pm Mon 28 Apr 08
outandabout wrote:We had a market on. I dont go to Southampton as its Gash.
David wrote:OK, so what major events were happening in Eastligh at the weekend ? In Southampton there was a free event that many people enjoyed. I'm not saying that Southampton is the entertainment capital of the South, but at least some effort was made this weekend. I'm sure it was better than staring at the airport and the railway sidings - which is pretty much all that's on offer in Eastleigh. Like I said before, if you don't like what Southampton has to offer don't come into the big city - stay in your village.outandabout wrote:Lol. You had a free street party. Great. Southampton the place to be in the south. nt.Mr E wrote: If this event was the best southampton has to offer then god help southampton...Glass Houses and Stones comes to mind. Attendance was not mandatory. I went and it was ok. If you don't like what's on offer stay out of Southampton and see what the borough of Eastleigh has to offer - some train spotting possibly.
But have fun at similar "parties" in the future.
Maid Marion, Southampton says...
6:46pm Mon 28 Apr 08
Darren Proffitt, southampton says...
11:52am Tue 29 Apr 08
S D, Southampton says...
12:47pm Tue 29 Apr 08
Cor, Blimey says...
3:33pm Tue 29 Apr 08
Darren Proffitt wrote:What's a bollon show? Is it an event where you get to throw rocks at illiterate chavs in a ring? If so, count me in!
it was ok if you like lots of peopel being drunk and haveing nothink to do! the fireworks what fireworks i only seen fog why would you do them in fog. no one could see them, why not bring back the bollon show at that you have things you could do and see at no cost as well
Samantha Savage, Southampton says...
8:32pm Tue 29 Apr 08
Suggestions are :
1. So this more often
2. make it bigger next time
3. make sure The uplifter is there !!!
lorraine, gosport says...
9:39pm Tue 29 Apr 08
Sarah Savage, Southampton says...
6:12am Wed 30 Apr 08
As for Mr E of Beastleigh I bet he supports Pompey !!! also I bet he never even spent a few minutes in the dance tent !! Stick to fighting in your pubs and clubs then ......oh no you cant can you ...theyve all been closed down !!!
Crazy Bag Lady, rsh sOUTHAMPTON says...
6:58am Wed 30 Apr 08
kt wrote:Go back to your semi rural mundane middle class bourgoisie life in swanick us DOP ers had a great time !! Some people are so stuffy ...what a snob !!
My family and I went to the festival on Sunday but due to the cold weather we had to leave before the fireworks. We thoroughly enjoyed it but in the music tent it looked like a DOP day trip !! One moan the fairground rides were very expensive and mainly run by Polish men who did not speak any English at all.
Crazy Bag Lady, Southampton says...
7:07am Wed 30 Apr 08
Cor wrote:and count me in too!! Balloon***Nothing***
Darren Proffitt wrote: it was ok if you like lots of peopel being drunk and haveing nothink to do! the fireworks what fireworks i only seen fog why would you do them in fog. no one could see them, why not bring back the bollon show at that you have things you could do and see at no cost as wellWhat\\\'s a bollon show? Is it an event where you get to throw rocks at illiterate chavs in a ring? If so, count me in!
People**Having** LOL sorry couldnt resist !
DOP = SORTED !, Southampton says...
7:47am Wed 30 Apr 08
kt wrote:Granted the two chaps dancing may very well of been from the DOP however they were happy harmelles and enjoyinh themselves , I too attend the DOP for therapy of a different nature bowever am a stable career person with own house car job etc .. SO here is an idea for you , why not crawl out from whatever dark damp place you come from and open your eyes to what was a very lovely weekend thanks to the council and Royal Caribbean, it united many poeple from many walks of life and race that would not normally be all under one roof so to speak ,,, i would be keen to know how long you stayed and what time you were there ,, i assuming 12 noon whenj i started you had a ice cream sat in your car and then realised you needed to pull the stick from out of your arse !! embrace life its the only one you have !!!
My family and I went to the festival on Sunday but due to the cold weather we had to leave before the fireworks. We thoroughly enjoyed it but in the music tent it looked like a DOP day trip !! One moan the fairground rides were very expensive and mainly run by Polish men who did not speak any English at all.
DOP = SORTED!, Southampton says...
8:07am Wed 30 Apr 08
Harmless, Enjoying ,People, When ,
just for those petty minded who wish to correct me on spelling ,
SERPENT Project at, NOC, Southampton says...
2:45pm Wed 30 Apr 08
Nice to meet all of you who stopped by and chatted at the SERPENT Project stall.
Visit www.serpentproject.c
om for our amazing images and video of deep sea creatures.
Montgolfier, France says...
6:03pm Wed 30 Apr 08
Your sayYourEcho
Add your comment
Register for a FREE Daily Echo account and you can have your say on today's news and sport by adding comments on articles we publish. The best comments may even get published in the paper.
Please register now or sign in below to continue.
In this section
- Over 1,300 complaints lodged about Christmas blunderland
- Hampshire man guilty of schoolgirl murder
- Body found in lorry on Hampshire motorway
- Shop a crook with Crack-a-crime for Christmas
- Residents want sewage overflow removed after foul smells
- Swiss man robbed in Southampton alleyway
- Man charged over Hamble bank raid
- Hampshire child welfare supremo takes on top job at Baby P council
- Tributes paid to hero of the boxing ring
- Fears grow for missing woman
Sponsored Links
|
|
Local Advertisers
Local Information
Enter your postcode, town or place name
Paul, Totton says...
11:29am Mon 28 Apr 08