PORTO CUPECOY, St. Maarten (January 17, 2012) – This winter, Porto Cupecoy Plaza in St. Maarten comes alive and celebrates its second annual “Arts in the Plaza” with nightly events from live Jazz and music to family fun.

Porto Cupecoy, a luxurious residential resort, an entertainment and shopping complex on the West Coast of St. Maarten, transforms into a vibrant stage from December through March where vacationers and locals can enjoy film festivals, winter concert series and farmer’s markets.

Every Monday, from 7 pm to 9 pm, families and friends are able to enjoy cinematic adventures under the stars with critically acclaimed French films (English subtitles) such as Kings and Queens, Small Change, Cache, La Cage Aux Folles and Jean de Florette. Wednesday nights entice music lovers with alternating acts from around the globe each week. World-renowned musical talents include Jazz musician CJ Johnson and Mosaic as well as Baby Soda Jazz Band, Jose Conde and Trades. Friday nights go to the kids at Ernest and Fidel for a “Family Fun Night.” The activities begin at 6pm where children and their parents enjoy a night filled with sports contests, games and prizes.

Culinary artists can delve into the eccentric local flavors that St. Maarten has to offer each Saturday morning at Market on the Plaza, Porto Cupecoy’s own Open Air Market. Local fruits, vegetables, gourmet foods and unique island crafts will be available from 8 am to 12 pm. For those who want to keep the party sizzling, Rendez Vous Lounge and Le Bateau Ivre offers late night fun and dancing with live entertainment beginning at 7 pm.

For a complete list of events, dates and times, visit www.portocupecoy.com/aip. For more information on St. Maarten visit the official site of the St. Maarten Tourist Bureau at www.VacationStMaarten.com.

St. Maarten

St. Maarten is the smallest island in the world to be shared by two nations, Kingdom of the Netherlands and France, creating a European-influenced vibe with a Caribbean flair. As “the culinary capital of the Caribbean,” St. Maarten offers an eclectic array of cuisine fusion for food lovers with more than 365 restaurants, one for each day of the year to satisfy the tastes of every palate and pocketbook.

Located at the northern end of the Lesser Antilles, the island’s 37 square miles has 37 breathtaking beaches and is home to many historical and family-oriented attractions. During the day, watersport enthusiasts can take full advantage of the island’s scuba diving and snorkeling facilities. The capital of Philipsburg offers duty-free shopping with a bustling city atmosphere, while 14 casinos and numerous nightclubs provide endless entertainment.

Accommodations are varied and include elegant private villas, family oriented resorts, quaint cottages and luxury spa resorts. Air service is available to Princess Juliana International Airport from numerous U.S. and Canadian cities as well as from Europe, South America and the Caribbean.

After stops in Africa (Burkina Faso, Cape Verde, Gabon, Tanzania), Europe (Denmark), in the Indian Ocean (Réunion) and the Pacific (Vanuatu), Haiti has been chosen to host the next Music Festivals Network Africa-Caribbean-Pacific (ACP), Caracoli reports in Defend Haiti.

The even takes place from January 28th through the 31st, when Haiti will host the Music Festivals Network Africa-Caribbean-Pacific (ACP).

Led by the French association, Zone Franche, and the World Music Network , the project aims to develop music industry festivals among the ACP partners. This project is supported by the European Union.

The business meetings will be held in Port-au-Prince from 28 to 31 January 2012, hosted by the Jazz Foundation Haiti, organizer of the Festival International de Jazz de Port-au-Prince, in partnership with Caracol and the French Institute in Haiti. Forty Haitian music professionals will gather to meet their foreign counterparts in workshops to network and exchange experiences and expertise. There will be opportunities during the meeting to showcase Haitian music.

Among the visitors expected are Jose Da Silva, manager of the recently-deceased Cape Verdean singer Cesaria Evora, Philippe Conrath, Africolor festival director and Christoph Borkowsky, president of the WOMEX – World Music Expo.

The 2012 installment of the much celebrated JAMAICA Jazz and Blues Festival – The Art of Music will once again take over The Greenfield Stadium, Trelawny with three days of music and magic from January 26 – 28

The JAMAICA Jazz and Blues Festival has proven to be an important tool for marketing Jamaica throughout its 15 year history. The Festival’s ability to do this was further augmented this year with the premier of the HBO documentary special titled One Love: JAMAICA Jazz and Blues Festival, which widened the Festival’s audience from the several thousand who attend annually to the over 300 million viewers of the cable network.

The One Love documentary eases aside the curtain to the spectacle and entertainment at JAMAICA Jazz and Blues and takes the Festival audience behind the scenes where it allows them to delve into the making of one of the Caribbean’s premiere music events. One Love provides an acute lens through which to explore the Festival and is richly seasoned with glimpses of some of Jamaica’s major tourist attractions.
One Love captures the sights, sounds and most important the good vibrations that are at the core of the JAMAICA Jazz and Blues Festival – The Art of Music. The insightful documentary also presents slices of the country’s history and its cultural strength. Additionally, with HBO’s prominence in creating an in-depth look at some of the world’s most popular music performances, the documentary cements the JAMAICA Jazz and Blues Festival as an important music event on the international landscape.

One Love: JAMAICA Jazz and Blues presents interviews with key planners, members of the audience interspersed with performances from the stellar 2011 line-up. The documentary features interviews with and snippets of performances by Maroon 5, Natalie Cole, Regina Belle, Diana King, Alison Hinds, Taurus Riley and Air Supply. Additionally, along with performances from the stars of the 2011 Festival, the documentary also presents previous performers at the JAMAICA Jazz and Blues such as Gladys Night, Lionel Richie, and Jon Secada.
One Love explores the time, lengthy planning process and intense labour that goes into creating the high calibre Festival. The documentary also showcases the Festival’s strength as a unique musical event that features various genres of music and celebrated artistes from around the world, an excellent example of the Featival’s diversity with its offering of Jazz, Reggae, R&B, Adult Contemporary, Soul and Soca. With the line-up already announced for 2012, patrons can expect the same at the upcoming installment.

By snagging international performers from across the world each year, the JAMAICA Jazz and Blues Festival has played a major role in bringing visitors to the island, a role highlighted by One Love.

Walter Elmore, Chairman of the Art of Music Productions, the producers of the Festival, points out that JAMAICA Jazz and Blues is deliberately designed to allow patrons to enjoy not just the great music at the Festival, but also explore the numerous attractions that the island has to offer during the day. “The Festival usually culminates by about 1:30 each night so that patrons can experience a great night of music and then wake up the next day and enjoy the diverse and authentic experiences, amazing people, and wonderful attractions that the country has to offer,” he said.

One Love also promotes this concept. Along with presenting the sights and sounds of the Festival, the documentary treks across the breath of the north coast and turns the lens on major attractions in Negril, Trelawny and St. Ann. Ricks Cafe, Cool Runnings Water Park, the Green Grotto Caves and Mystic Mountains are some of the attractions that are showcased, highlighting the diversity of attractions that can be found on the island.

More and more, film and television shows are proving themselves as important to the promotion of the tourism product. With viewership in over 23 countries, the promotion of Jamaica on an HBO special is a significant achievement, which was engineered through the partnership between HBO and the telecommunications company Flow.

Indeed, through the celebrity interviews, One Love provides the rare opportunity of having major celebrities singing the island’s praises, as they exalt the warmth of the people and the island. This therefore strengthens the Festival’s importance for packing guests into the hotels far beyond the period of the Festival. John Lynch of the JTB remarks that the documentary presents a ant boost to the country’s marketing initiatives.
“One Love presents the music and culture, the attractions and natural beauty that Jamaica offers and will undoubtedly stir the interest of viewers to come and experience Jamaica first hand,” he said. “It provides tremendous exposure for destination JAMAICA, and it is critical that we continue to generate interest in the destination through innovative programmes.”

This year’s line-up includes international artistes such as Grammy Award winning Celine Dion, The Temptations featuring Dennis Edwards, Destra Garcia, Jully Black, Nicole Henry and more.
In recognition of Jamaica’s 50th anniversary of Independence, the Thursday night line-up will be dedicated to the history of Jamaican music with performances from across the various musical eras: ska, rocksteady, dub and reggae. Some Jamaicans scheduled to perform are Pluto Shervington, Luciano, Shaggy, Freddie McGregor, Etana, Half Pint, George Nook, Marcia Griffiths and many others.
The 2012 installment of the much celebrated JAMAICA Jazz and Blues Festival – The Art of Music will once again take over The Greenfield Stadium, Trelawny with three days of music and magic from January 26 – 28.

For 2012, an incredible live music line up will be billed across these three days including top international and local superstars.

In addition, in honour of Jamaica’s 50th we will be dedicating Thursday’s line up to the rich sounds that have shaped Jamaica’s

music over the past 50 years: ska, rocksteady, reggae. All the artistes on the bill will

be legends of Jamaica’s music scene from these three musical eras.

It promises to be an exciting Thursday night!

Beyond the main stages concerts, several pre-shows and events will be held in association with various venues across Montego

Bay, Kingston and Trelawny. From jazz picnic in the park, themed club night, jazz brunches to saxophone lagoon tours, there will

be something for everyone!

These events will run from January 23 to the end of the Festival.

The individual markets and trade shows include:

Bridal Expo (“Festival de Bodas y Novios del Caribe”)

Over 300 exhibitors showing everything that couples will need on their wedding day, honeymoon, or new home. Search for Photographers, Videographers, Catering Services, Receptions Locations, Bridal Gowns, Men’s Formalwear – Tuxedos, Bridal Registry, Cruises, Honeymoon Destinations, Hotels, Wedding Destinations, Travel Agents, Florists, Wedding Coordinators, Gift, Gown Preservations, Health and Beauty, Hotels and Air Traveling, Invitations, Insurance and Investments, Mortgages, Jewelers, Limousine and Transport, Music for Ceremony, Rehearsal Dinner/ Restaurants, Lingerie, among others

Show dates: To be announced
Exhibition hours: To be announced
General Admission: To be announced (includes Bridal Expo, Bridal Fashion Weekend and Destination Wedding & Honeymoon Expo)

Destination Weddings & Honeymoon Expo
The event for those wedding couples searching for a special an unforgettable place to celebrate their wedding away from their hometown in a beautiful island of the Caribbean. Over 70 Exhibitors of 15 of the most recognized Caribbean islands and destinations will showcase destination weddings and honeymoon opportunities. At the Expo couples and wedding coordinators will find the largest portfolio of hotel and resort destinations with great offering for those looking for exceptional luxury, romantic ambiance, recreation, and great natural beauty and special places for special memories. The expo will help you in planning your wedding or vow renewal. Find wedding packages and honeymoon specials, including some all-inclusive packages. Find out all about the wedding professionals coordination, accommodations, legal documentation, civil or religious wedding ceremony, and all other important details necessary for a beautiful wedding.

Bridal Fashion Weekend