by Shanavon Arsomedjo
PARAMARIBO — The holiday period will be festively concluded this weekend with the first edition of One Sranan Fest at International Mall of Suriname (IMS). Food, music, entertainment and family fun will come together on site Friday, Saturday and Sunday.
The idea originated at IMS, where various activities have been organized for visitors and families over the years. Around the end of the big holiday, the organization wanted to create something that was slightly bigger and brought together different forms of relaxation.
“Not one culture or one age group is central”
What started as a food & familyconcept grew into a three-day festival. ‘One Sranan’ refers to the idea that Suriname, with its diversity of backgrounds, tastes, traditions and generations, can come together in one place.
Not one culture or one age group is central. Every visitor should be able to encounter different people and interests. That starts with eating and drinking. There are about twenty spread across the festival grounds vendorconcepts can be found: from barbecue and satay to seafood, Indian foodsnacks, drinks, cakes, desserts and stroopwafels, coffee, cocktails and other drinks.
Entertainment
But whoever thinks that One Sranan Fest is especially a big one food fair is missing an important part of the picture. While the smells from the food stalls waft across the grounds, music plays from the stage. DJs, live bands, singers and dancers provide a different rhythm and unique atmosphere every day.
On Friday, Romano Wip, DJ Lie, DJ Gian Dani, Kartika Budaya, Tanya Kasan, Linedance group Ishtika, Xessionz and DJ Lennox are on the program. The day after, DJ Jemaya, DJ Venom, Be Your Own Hero, Freestyle and DJ Alsparo will take over the entertainment part. The weekend ends with Wip, DJ Jardell Rose, DJ Milz on the Beat, Kasimex Houseband and DJ Cat, among others.
This variety was deliberately chosen. The festival should not feel like a long succession of the same type of performances, but as a place where visitors can discover something different each time the evening takes place.
Children
There is also plenty to do for the youngest visitors. An important place on the site is the Kids Area. There are different ones during the three days character– and performance moments.
This way one can be with another food vendor sit down, while someone else follows the music and children experience their own adventure. The organization does not exclusively target young people, families or adults. Everyone should be able to feel welcome.
A family can come to the festival together, but they don’t necessarily have to experience the same evening. While parents eat something or listen to a live performance, children can have fun in their own environment.
Underlying idea
The festival is mainly intended as a relaxing end to the big holiday. Not a complicated program where visitors have to know in advance exactly what they want to see. You can walk in, eat something, look around, listen to music and linger as long as it is pleasant.
And perhaps that is precisely the idea behind One Sranan Fest. Not everyone has to come for the same thing to have a good time together. Because when the last days of vacation slowly transition into the normal rhythm of school, work and obligations, there is still one weekend to do nothing.
The organization of it is as follows: “It would be nice if, afterwards, visitors not only remember which artist was on stage, but especially who they were with, what they ate and what the atmosphere felt like.”
