Daviot Kelly, Staff Reporter
Marcia Francis looked awesome in yellow. She paraded her hat at the Courts Jamaica Oaks Race Day at Caymanas Park, last Saturday. - PHOTOS BY RICARDO MAKYN/STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
THE HEAVY showers may have taken the festivities indoors this year, but the Courts Jamaica Oaks Day was still loads of fun.
Held in the clubhouse this time around, guests were still treated to fine food, belly-splitting laughter and uproarious entertainment. The event organisers must be commended for assembling the area literally overnight. The ladies, of course, were decked in their lovely hats. Guests had the luxury of watching the races on television in the comfort of the clubhouse, or they could saunter outside to view the thoroughbreds more closely.
This was the sixth year Courts honoured women for their contributions to Jamaica. This year it was the time for women in the creative, visual and performing arts. All of 19 women were honoured this year.
This year, the entertainment was provided by young talent. Male quartet Hush and PBC band provided the guests with some groovy tunes to rock to. PBC was especially exhilarating, as in their first section, they went back to the ska days, which prompted a dance-off between Marjorie Whylie, Alma Mock-Yen, Fae Ellington and Lilieth Nelson. That, as well as L'Antoinette Stines' solo, got members of the audience out of their seats.
Students from the Edna Manley College were busy doing sketch art of various scenes during the day. But the real eye-catchers were the drama students who posed as statues and never budged despite all the antics of the guests. Mimes walked around doing their quiet act; all this to emphasise the arts theme for the day.
The hat parade this year was a little different. There were little straw hats on each table with various items you could sew on to them. The most creative hat won a prize. MC, Joan Andrea-Hutchinson, was at her best, inveigling persons to 'tun them hand and make fashion'. A few lucky punters even picked a few winners, rounding off a fine day at the track.
Among the guests to turn out were Marcia Francis; Karen Smith; Barbara Gloudon; Claudette Richardson-Pious; Pauline Stone-Myrie; Fay Simpson; Melanie Graham; Tommy Cowan and Carlene Davis-Cowan; Mayor of Portmore, councillor George Lee; Dr. Olive Lewin; Judy Mowatt; Beverley Dexter; Angela Thame; Roy and Sylvia Collister; Martine Reid and Kimblian Rose.
