Western Bureau: The South Trelawny Environmental Agency (STEA), organisers of the popular Trelawny Yam Festival has found a new venue to host the event.

“Yes, we have found a new home for the festival and the event will definitely be on next year,” chairman of STEA Hugh Dixon told the Observer.

“Recently a decision was taken by the committee to stage the event on 10 acres of land in the Rock Spring area of South Trelawny. Already a budget of $12 million is being looked at to stage the event,” Dixon told the Observer. He said, of that amount, $10 million would be used to put in the necessary infrastructure, including telephone, water, electricity, stalls and the erection of perimeter fencing.

Thousands of people were disappointed earlier this year when it was announced that the 2001 staging of the festival was cancelled.

But, Dixon, however, maintained that the decision was taken in the best interest of the festival.

“We (STEA) believe that the decision was the right one. We did not want to stage the event until we could find a suitable location,” Dixon said.

According to him, because the festival had outgrown the venue at the Albert Town High School, this resulted in the organisers losing money.

For instance, last year STEA chalked up losses in excess of $400,000 from the staging of the event, although a record crowd of roughly 12,000 patrons turned out on the last day of the festival.

Following the unsuccessful staging of the event, the Minister of Agriculture was approached by STEA to help find a new venue for the festival.

A committee was subsequently put in place and given the mandate to find a new venue for the festival.

The Trelawny Yam Festival was first staged in 1997 when STEA was in need of funds to undertake community and environmental projects.

“During the first staging of the event, STEA was surprised at the large turnout of patrons and the huge potential of such an event. Over the next three years, the festival grew at a rapid rate and attracted patrons from near and far,” Dixon explained.

The festival seeks to promote yam and its by — products, to promote South Trelawny as an eco-tourism destination and to enable the area to attract investments. The festival is also staged to raise funds for STEA’s activities.

Activities at next year’s festival will include culinary displays, farmers’ field days, cycle races, festival king and queen contests, best-dressed goat and donkey contests and a stage show.