Saint Lucia will celebrate the La Woz (Rose) Festival on August 30, with expectations for a grand 2024 event. Leading up to the main celebration, several La Woz seances have been held in various communities.
Today (Thursday), Mon Repos hosts a grand finale seance with La Woz groups from communities including Grande Riviere, Choiseul, and Vieux Fort. The Cultural Development Foundation will then present the Gwan Fet La Woz in Castries on Friday.
The festival began with a church service at 10a.m. at the Minor Basilica of the Immaculate Conception, followed by a grand parade through the city. Minister of Culture Dr. Ernest Hilaire emphasized that this year’s La Woz festival will be among the grandest, featuring the coronation of at least one new La Woz Queen.
Dr. Hilaire addressed criticism about the financial support for La Woz compared to Carnival, stating, “We have put more money into festivals like La Woz and La Marguerite than ever.” He revealed plans to strengthen existing groups and the introduce new ones, including the addition of a new group from Desruisseaux this year.
The Minister highlighted the differences between La Woz and the La Marguerite festival, which takes place in October during the school term with higher participation. He encouraged all Saint Lucians to support the Gwan Fet La Woz and pledged continued efforts to grow the festival into a major attraction.
Source: Saint Lucia Times.
