By NAN Contributor
News Americas, BRIDGETOWN, Barbados, Weds. Nov. 30, 2016: Pop Royalty Rihanna and English Royalty Prince Harry will both help celebrate Barbados 50th independence anniversary from Britain today, Weds. Nov. 30, 2016.
Prince Harry is scheduled to deliver a speech at the Kensington Oval celebrations tonight, just before Ri-Ri sings her country’s national anthem along with a choir of primary school students at 9 p.m.
Rihanna, fresh from a performance in Abu Dabi and from winning the Shoe of the Year Award from ‘Footwear News’ 2016 in NYC on Nov. 29th, will headline Barbados’ Golden Anniversary Spectacular Mega Concert at the new venue which is set to attract upwards of 20,000 people.
The show will be the coming together of Barbadian talent, a showcase of Barbados’ musical genius which will highlight iconic Barbadian moments, sights and sounds of the last 50 years from 1966 to 2016. The event will comprise three main segments from 1960 to 1980; 1980 to 1990; and the 1990s to present.
Also set to perform at the four-hour, free concert are Spice and Company performing its first single, “You’re So Sweet” in over 20 years, The Sandpebbles, The Independence Gala Band and The Nicholas Brancker Orchestra among others. The event will end at midnight with a fireworks display set to music.
The Reveal of the 50th Anniversary of Independence National Monument will take place at the Garrison Savannah, at 7 p.m. The Independence Day Parade originally scheduled for today at the Garrison Savannah, has been postponed until Thursday, December 1, at 6 p.m. Over 20 groups will be on parade – executing a series of ceremonial drill movements, including a march past in slow and quick time. This will be followed by displays from the United States Coast Guard Silent Drill Team, the Barbados Cadet Corps and the Guyana Defence Force Paratroop Regiment.
Prince Harry, who arrived on the island Tuesday morning, yesterday presented the Duke of Edinburgh Gold Award to Barbadians Charlee Gittens and Jade Gibbons for volunteerism.
Barbados Prime Minister Freundel Stuart has urged Barbadians at home and abroad to recommit themselves to the development of their nation. The celebration is being presented under the theme: “Barbados We Come From.”
Barbados, once a British colony in the Eastern Caribbean, became independent on November 30, 1966. The first independence ceremony was accompanied by the raising of the Barbados national flag, and playing of the national anthem for the first time.
