The 2025 St. Kitts Music Festival (SKMF) will take place from June 26 to 28, featuring a diverse lineup of musical acts that promises to deliver the best experience in the festival’s history. The diversity includes a return of steelpan to the festival’s main stage on Friday, June 27, 2025.
Interest in steelpan music in St. Kitts-Nevis has soared over the past decade, driven by enthusiastic young adults. This enthusiasm has been elevated by the St Kitts Nevis National Carnival Committee’s (SKNNCC) annual Panorama competition, with as many as eight bands competing.
This year, the St Kitts Steel Orchestra (SKSO) will be one of the homegrown acts featured on the festival’s main stage at the Warner Park Stadium on Friday, June 27. The band will perform a dynamic set, including reggae, dancehall, calypso and soca.
The St. Kitts Steel Orchestra was created in March of 2025, based on the influence of the SKNNCC and their effort to bring steelpan back into mainstream entertainment in the Federation. Fifty-two pan players will grace the stage of the 27th festival. The band is currently rehearsing at St. Johnson Community Centre and is led by Shaqueed Benjamin, Dejohn Francis and Omandey Byron.
Steelpan emerged in the 1930s, and amid the electronification of Caribbean music, it remains vibrant and stands out for its simplicity. To share in this experience, patrons are asked to log on to the festival’s website: www.stkittsmusicfestival.com, where tickets can be purchased to enjoy steelpan at its very best in St. Kitts.
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