Above: Culturama in Nevis

By the Caribbean Journal staff

This year will be the 40th anniversary of Nevis’ Culturama festival, and Deborah Tyrell has been tapped as the festival’s new chairman.

Tyrell made her official debut on Tuesday as the chairman for the festival, which will run this year from July 24 to Aug. 5.

“We cast about trying to find someone who we thought could bring to the table the necessary experience and the necessary interest in Culture and all things cultural and we came up with Deborah Tyrell,” said Nevis Tourism Minister Mark Brantley. “Deborah is no stranger to Nevis she’s been here for a very long time. She is no stranger to pageantry and festivals.”

Tyrell, who is a native of Trinidad and Tobago, succeeds Dr Patricia Bartlette, who chaired last year’s Culturama festival.

“I think we benefited tremendously from her insight and her ideas and her energy which was invaluable to making Culturama 39 a success,” Brantley said. “I think we all understood that Culturama 39 would have been a springboard for our efforts for Culturama 40 and that we would try to build on the successes there and certainly learn from the mistakes there as well.”

Tyrell has years of experience in the festival realm, and is currently the curator of the Charlestown Art Gallery. She was born in Trinidad but raised in Toronto, where she was crowned Miss Carabana Queen for the annual Toronto festival in 1976.

“I am very grateful for the opportunity to serve, to collaborate with all of you as we plan and organize Culturama 40 and the homecoming celebration,” Tyrell said.