ATLANTA REGGAE/SOCA MEGA FEST READY TO UNFOLD

Plans are firmly in place for the largest-ever Reggae/Soca Fest to be held in Atlanta. The event, the Georgia Music Fest is by far the largest event of its kind to be hosted in Atlanta. It takes place during the highly popular Memorial Weekend when the Atlanta Carnival is celebrated, amidst concerns that it has also been characterized by a lack of quality entertainment.

According to an official of Ujamaa Management, the sponsoring entity of Georgia Music Fest, Atlanta and its visitors deserve more than what has customarily been presented to them. "It's a sad contradiction, that Atlanta with such a dynamic Caribbean presence, has never really been exposed to the best of the Caribbean even at a time when the Caribbean culture is being presented to the rest of the Atlanta community." Georgia Music Fest plans to fill that void and judging from what the festival offers, it will.

This year Georgia Music Fest brings to Atlanta, a world-class line up - A Who's Who of Caribbean music that any music connoisseur will crave. The reggae offering is headed by Mega-Star and Grammy nominee Luciano "The Messenger." He will be ably supported by the phenomenal Marcia Griffiths, a former member of Bob Marley's "I-Threes". Equally attractive will be the iconoclastic Tanya Stephens, the legendary Bob Andy as well as the young lion Turbulence along with Mikey General and others.

But that is only half of the Music Fest! The soca field is equally impressive. Who wants to miss the dean of all Calypsonians...the Mighty Sparrow himself? He will be surrounded by Rupee the sensational crowd-pleaser, David Rudder the definitive voice among new-era calypsionans, Iwer George, this year's Calypso Monarch and Faye Ann Lyons, the celebrated song-writer and former Road March Queen.

Too hot for you? Well to cool things down a little, the festival also offers Alan and Lita Blake, Atlanta's own dynamic jazz couple and the Afro/neo-soul of Kuku the emerging Nigerian superstar.

The annual Georgia Music Fest begins at 1:00 p.m. on May 26 at the International Horse Park in Conyers, Georgia. Tickets are selling quickly and can be purchased at www.georgiamusicfest.com or through distributors listed on the site. Visitors to the site can also register to win several prizes.