Crop Over 2012 got off to an early start when the National Cultural Foundation (NCF)

hosted its Sponsors’ Breakfast and Launch at the Hilton Hotel on Wednesday

November 9th 2011 for the 2012 Festival.

The early start is in response to a number of Sponsors and Stakeholders who have

been requesting the NCF to launch early, and social networkers who have been asking

for early information from the Foundation to put on sites since dates for many

international Festivals are launched as soon as the current one is complete.

A number of new initiatives were announced at the Launch including a change of dates for the Pic-o-de-Crop (PODC) Semis Finals and Finals in order to now give a two week window between the two events. This change is to give the finalists more time to rehearse and prepare their presentations and it also gives the radio stations greater opportunity to promote the competition music on the airwaves.  The PODC Semi Finals will now be held on Friday July 20th while the (PODC) Finals will be held on Friday August 3rd.

Another change to the dates for the Festival is the separation of the Junior Monarch Finals and the Junior Kadooment, from the same day, in response to numerous requests from parents, guardians and vendors who wanted to attend both events. The Junior Monarch Finals will now be held on Saturday July 21st and the Junior Kadooment will be held on Saturday July 28th.

Yet another difference for the 2012 calendar is the return of the Pic-o-De-Crop Finals and Cohobblopot to the National Stadium which is expected to be refurbished by that time. This follows requests from the Calypsonians for the return to the intimacy of the Stadium where they can really feel the ‘energy of the audience’.

In addition, there are two new events that will be included in the Crop Over calendar for next year.  These are a series of Mini Kadooments that will be run by committees within the communities and a Plantation Feast at Wildey Great House which is really a return to an event that used to be very popular on the Crop Over calendar of years gone by.  

The Mini Kadooments are scheduled for the West on April 14th, the East on May 28th, the South on June 9th and the north on June 20th.  This is in an effort to decentralise the crop over activity and open more avenues for creativity in designing and organising bands.

The Plantation Feast is expected to be a gourmet’s delight where all types of Bajan delicacies are to be displayed for consumption.  Nestled in the tranquil surroundings of the Great House, this event will rekindle memories of Plantation days of old.

The 2012 Crop Over Festival is set to take off from May 12th with the first of 4 Cavalcades at Briar Hall, Christ Church which will be the precursor to 11 weeks of activity featuring approximately 35 events.