St. Kitts Announces Popular Acts for 2005 Music Festival

St. Kitts Announces Popular Acts for 2005 Music Festival

** Grammy Award Winning R&B Artists Boyz II Men and Hip-Hop Sensation Wyclef Jean Top the St. Kitts Music Festival Line-Up **

NEW YORK, March 9 /PRNewswire/ -- Mr. Allister Williams, Executive Director of the St. Kitts Music Festival, has announced that Grammy Award Winning R&B artists Boyz II Men and popular Hip-Hop artist Wyclef Jean will be two of the top acts performing at the St. Kitts Music Festival 2005.

This year, the St. Kitts Music Festival will be held June 23-26, 2005. In addition to Boyz II Men and Wyclef Jean, the sensational line-up also includes Lonnie Liston Smith, Ronnie Laws, Pieces of a Dream, Rupee, David Rudder, Black Stalin, The Grandmasters, Kenrick Georges & The Sugar Mill Bits & Pieces and the Roy Cape All Stars. Additional musical acts will be added in the coming weeks.

Now in its 9th consecutive year, the festival attracts both locals and visitors alike and features various musical styles on the popular market, including R&B, Jazz, Hip-Hop, Reggae, Soca, Calypso, Gospel and Contemporary music. Past artists have included such top artists as Brian McKnight, Shaggy, Bobby Caldwell, DMX, Hugh Masekala, Xtatik, the Temptations, Chcka Khan, Maxi Priest, Ronald "Boo" Hinkson, Eve, Ashanti and Busta Rhymes.

"The St. Kitts Music Festival has grown into something of a phenomenon, drawing visitors from across the Caribbean as well as from North America and across the globe," said Hon. Richard "Ricky" O. Skerritt, Minister of State in the Ministry of Tourism, Sports and Culture for St. Kitts. "Not only is it a wonderful cultural event, it also has a significant positive impact on the tourism sector of our economy as hotels, restaurants, taxis and other business entities see increased business as a direct result of the Music Festival."

Located in the northern Leeward Islands of the Caribbean, St. Kitts offers a diverse tourism product developed from the destination's natural beauty, cultural heritage and rich history. Originally populated by native Carib indians, the island was colonized by the British in 1623 and now offers visitors a wide variety of vacation activities including hiking through the tropical rainforest, riding the scenic railway that connects the island's sugar plantations, touring Brimstone Hill Fortress, the only man-made UNESCO World Heritage Site in the Eastern Caribbean, and the more traditional vacation pastimes such as watersports, golf, shopping, tennis, gourmet dining, gaming at St. Kitts' exclusive casino or simply relaxing on one of the island's black or golden sand beaches. Guests can select from accommodations ranging from intimate plantation inns to larger hotels or resorts.

For more information about St. Kitts, please contact the St. Kitts Tourism Authority toll free from the US at 1-800-582-6208 or from Canada 1-888-395-4887, e-mail info@stkitts-tourism.kn or visit the website at http://www.stkitts-tourism.com/.

Source: St. Kitts Tourism Authority

CONTACT: Cathy Preece, cathy@adams-pr.com, or Candice Adams-Kimmel, both of Adams Unlimited, +1-212-956-5900, for St. Kitts Tourism Authority

Web site: http://www.stkitts-tourism.com/

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