Make plans to head to the Calabash Literary Festival in Jamaica

By Chakara Bennett, Guardian Summer Intern

Jamaica is the place to be! And I'm not talking about vacationing in Montego Bay or going to any of the hype reggae or dancehall concerts. You need to be in attendance at the largest and most popular international book convention in the region. This festival that first appeared in 2001 is a book lovers dream.

The region's best writers, poets and playwrights will all come together for a three-day book festival, May 23-25, at Jake's, a mellow, down-to-earth resort in Treasure Beach, St. Elizabeth, Jamaica.

One of the most anticipated authors who will be in attendance is the 1992 Nobel Prize winner for Literature, Derek Walcott, a native of St. Lucia.

In an article written by Geoffrey Philips, Walcott is noted to have said: "I am very happy to be coming to Calabash as I have heard good things about the festival".

Besides readings by and interviews with Walcott, there will be other readings and book signings with other regional authors such as Thomas Glave and M. Mark. This year will also feature the largest array of Jamaican authors, poets and playwrights including Ema Brodber, Beverley East, Rosie Stone, Margaret Cezair-Thompson and Kei Miller.

Besides the appearances from regional authors, there will also be a plethora of international authors and poets. Pulitzer Prize winners Yusuf Komunyaka and Natasha Theteway, both from the United States, will be in attendance as will Chris Abani of Nigeria, Jackie Kay of Scotland and Valzyna Mort of Belarus.

There will also be book signings and readings by other famous literary icons such as Lorna Goodison, Beverley Manley and many others. There will be a 75-year anniversary reading of Claude McKay's famous novel, "Banana Bottom".

Besides the gathering of so many literary wonders there will also be lots of smooth literature-worthy music playing throughout the festival. There will even be a mini-concert featuring the spell-binding lyrics of Bob Andy accompanied by the smooth tunes of Wayne Armond, Ibo Cooper, Steven Golding and Seretse Small. Films by established as well as new film-makers will also be featured in the festival for those interested in the more dramatic productions of literature.

This year's festival is definitely not one to miss. Kwame Dawes, another notable regional author who currently lives in North Carolina and recently was awarded the state's Verner Governor's Award for the Arts, says "any opportunity to speak to one of the most important poets (Derek Walcott) in the 20th century is a gift that only a fool would allow to pass."

Likewise, an opportunity to listen to and be in the presence of so many creative energies all at once is not something to easily brush away. This event may even be something that your children may enjoy and may even influence them to read, write and expand their minds more creatively.

This is a festival that The Bahamas should also seek to establish to not only encourage the talent of our own local writers and expand our own literary society but also to promote our own musicians, lyricists, dramatist and film-makers.

But for now, you need to head to Jamaica to ensure that you're a part of this event.

Calabash Literary Festival

When: May 23-25

Where: Jamaica

Venue: Jake's, Treasure Beach, St. Elizabeth

Admission: Free

How to get there

Best Flight and Hotel with Travelocity: $576

Flight: Air Jamaica Ltd. (dep: #62, arr: #63)

Hotel: Negril Beach Club Condos