Steelpan Month 2025: From Roots to Resonance
Every year in the month of August, Pan Trinbago transforms Trinidad and Tobago into a living stage, where music, memory, and movement fuse into a single heartbeat. But this , the rhythm felt deeper, louder, and more intentional than ever before.
Pan Trinbago, the world governing body of the steelpan, stood at the helm of this transformation. Partnering with the Ministry of Culture and Community Development, led for the first time by the newly appointed Minister The Honourable Michelle Benjamin, they shaped an entire month into a festival of identity. It was not just a calendar of events; it was a reclaiming of heritage, a chorus of pride, and a reminder of what the steelpan means to us as a people.
At the heart of it all were the Steelpan Ambassadors; bpTT and NGC. Their continued investment was more than sponsorship; it was solidarity. Standing shoulder to shoulder with pannists, arrangers, and communities, they demonstrated that steelpan is not just a cultural treasure but a national responsibility, one that requires corporate, governmental, and community commitment to thrive.
The theme of the month, “From Roots to Resonance,” captured the full journey of the instrument. It told the story of humble beginnings; born in the backstreets of Laventille, crafted from discarded oil drums, silenced by colonial law yet kept alive by the determination of its people. It reminded us of the pioneers who risked ridicule and repression to tune the first notes, who transformed a tool of survival into an orchestra of hope.
And it declared, loudly, that the steelpan is no longer confined to its roots. Its resonance has carried it across the globe, into concert halls, universities, and diplomatic stages. It is the voice of our past, the song of our present, and the anthem of our future.
This year’s celebration carried special weight. It marked the first anniversary of the Government’s official proclamation of the steelpan as the National Instrument of Trinidad and Tobago, a long-awaited recognition of its role in shaping our cultural DNA. It also marked the third year since the United Nations declared August 11th as World Steelpan Day, placing our creation on the world’s calendar forevermore.
From Laventille to Woodford Square, from panyards to international screens, Steelpan Month 2025 reminded us that this is more than music. It is testimony. It is triumph. It is the sound of a people whose voices can no longer be silenced.
The Story Begins: Roots in Laventille (Sat Aug 2)
Roots in Laventille (Sat Aug 2)
Laventille; birthplace of the steelpan; was the only fitting place to begin Steelpan Month 2025. On Emancipation weekend, the Laventille Steelband Festival Parade surged down the Eastern Main Road like a river of rhythm, carrying with it not only music, but memory, spirit, and pride.
This year’s theme, Itunbi – Ilu Awon Baba Wa (Rebirth – Rhythm of the Ancestors), draws from Yoruba traditions and will be artistically expressed through the bands as they parade along the Eastern Main Road, Success Village, Laventille from Leon Street to Espinet Street.
From early afternoon, the hillsides echoed with the sounds of the metallic clinks and rolls carrying on the wind. Families lined the road with folding chairs and coolers, children waved flags and vendors prepared for the evening ahead; roasting corn over smoky fires, selling pholourie by the bag, and frying crispy accras in pans almost as hot as the music itself.
Laventille, the hillside mother of the instrument, told the nation once again: this is where it began, this is where it still lives, and this is where it will always return. The parade was not simply an opening act for Steelpan Month. It was a reminder that every note played in every panyard, every concert hall, and every international stage carries the echo of Laventille’s first heartbeat.
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Mille Fleurs Magic: Pantasy (Sun Aug 3)
From the rugged hills to the manicured lawns, the energy shifted at Mille Fleurs for Pantasy 2025. Families stretched out on picnic blankets, toddlers danced on the grass, and tamboo bamboo groups cracked rhythms under heritage trees.
The mansion itself stood as witness—colonial walls now echoing with the sound of freedom. Solos floated like whispers, duets shimmered like sunlight through branches. It was soft, elegant, and restorative—a garden symphony where culture felt like home.
Echoes in the South: Naparima Bowl (Fri Aug 8)
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When Echoes of Steel began at Naparima Bowl, the audience didn’t just listen - they leaned in, ready to be swept away.
Pan Elders laid a solid foundation. NGC Couva Joylanders painted it with intricate runs. Heritage Petroleum Skiffle brought fire, Golden Hands added youthful precision, and soloists Joshua Regrello and Shaquille “Flogo” Forbes soared above them all.
Brass chorused, voices swelled, and steel interwove like threads of a tapestry. In that hall, every note was a conversation between eras: the elders who fought for pan’s respect, and the youth who now carry it forward.
A Nation in Steelpan Jamboree (Sat Aug 9)
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A Nation in Jamboree (Sat Aug 9)
If Laventille was the cradle of beginnings, then the Steelpan Jamborees were the embrace of the nation. On Saturday, August 9th, Trinidad and Tobago experienced something remarkable: four simultaneous celebrations; East, North, South, and Tobago, all beginning at the same time, all resonating under one theme: From Roots to Resonance
It was not just music; it was a symphony of communities.
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East – Curepe Scherzando Pan Theatre
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In the East, at Curepe Scherzando Pan Theatre were FCB Supernovas, Matthews Steel Orchestra Music Academy, San Juan All Stars, and the hosts themselves, Curepe Scherzando Steel Orchestra. Families poured into the yard with coolers and folding chairs, their laughter mingling with the sweet scent of fried chicken and corn soup. Children played toy pans in time with the real ones, while teens recorded clips for TikTok and Instagram, proudly announcing: “This is the East—this is pan country.” The music rolled through Curepe, shaking the very foundations of the East-West corridor.
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North – bp Renegades Pan Theatre, Port of Spain
Up north, at the legendary bp Renegades Pan Theatre, the lineup was heavy with firepower: Shell Invaders, West Stars, T&T Fire Service Steel Orchestra, and the mighty bp Renegades themselves. By 6 p.m., the yard overflowed. Every inch of the panyard located on Charlotte Street was packed people perched on balconies, leaning on cars, even climbing walls to catch a glimpse. When Renegades struck up their first tune, the roar from the crowd could have been heard all the way to the Savannah. The North was not just watching a show; they were inside the music, part of the thunder, their cheers blending into the notes.
South – Harris Promenade, San Fernando
Farther south, Harris Promenade became a festival ground. The stage welcomed Southern Stars (D South Band), San City, Kalomo Kings, and LH 47. Food stalls circled the square—roti hot off the tawa, doubles men moving at lightning pace, barbecues smoking into the cool night air. Families strolled with snow cones and popcorn, children chased each other between tents, and pannists played with a fire that lit up the whole of San Fernando. With the City Hall glowing in the background and music rolling across the square, Harris Promenade reminded everyone why San Fernando is called the cultural capital of the South.
Tobago – Scarborough Esplanade
Across the sea, the Scarborough Esplanade in Tobago lit up with its own brand of magic as it was not only the setting for Tobago’s Jamboree, it was also the official launch of the Tobago House of Assembly’s Panorama 2025. That announcement electrified the crowd, as the island prepared for its own season of competition and celebration.
By 7 p.m., the stage lights flickered to life against the backdrop of the ocean. The lineup was stacked: Katzenjammers, T&TEC Eastside New Dimension, Dixieland, Alpha Pan Pioneers, NGC Steel Explosion, Metro Stars, and Natural Mystic. Each band carried Tobago’s soul into their notes, a mix of precision and passion that made the sea breeze itself seem to dance.
The night was made even more special by a guest performance from veteran calypsonian Johnny King, whose voice soared over the Esplanade, reminding everyone that pan and calypso have always been twin flames in our culture. Tourists, surprised by the scale and vibrancy of the event, were quickly swept into dance circles with locals, their laughter mixing with the metallic harmonies of the pans.
The Esplanade shimmered with unity, children running along the seawall, elders nodding in approval, young pannists looking out at the sea as if imagining the global journeys their music might soon take. Tobago’s Jamboree was more than a concert; it was a declaration that the sister isle stands ready to chart its own chapter in the story of steel.
Though each jamboree had its own flavour East’s family warmth, North’s raw power, South’s festival spirit, Tobago’s seaside Steelpan they came together as one. Different notes, same chord. Different voices, same harmony.
The Steelpan Jamborees showed the world what it means for a country to play itself into unity. At exactly 6 p.m., Trinidad and Tobago became a living orchestra. From Curepe to Scarborough, San Fernando to Port of Spain, one nation spoke in the only voice that truly belongs to us all: the voice of the steelpan.
Praise and Power: Steelpan on a High Note (Sun Aug 10)
As part of the official observances of Steelpan Month 2025, Pan Trinbago Inc. T.C., in collaboration with the Ministry of Culture and Community Development, invited the nation to a sacred gathering at their headquarters on 55 Dundonald Street, Port of Spain. It was not a concert in the ordinary sense; it was an evening of Worship and Praise, where the steelpan was lifted not as fete, but as prayer.
From 4:00 p.m., the courtyard of Pan Trinbago became a sanctuary. The service began with solemnity: the Blessing of the Flag, a ritual dedicating this season of celebration to the Almighty, the giver of every gift and sound. Steelband's came carrying their own flags, proudly raised for the ceremonial blessing. In that moment, colours rippled in the twilight as if heaven itself acknowledged the sacrifice and triumph the instrument represents.
Then the music began, and worship filled the space.
The Steelpan as a Vessel of Praise
From this foundation, the steelpan took its rightful place as a vessel of devotion. Ensembles and soloists, guided by divine inspiration, ministered through gospel selections that blended melody with message.
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Pangelics Steelpan Ensemble offered gospel and inspirational pieces, proving how perfectly the instrument carries songs of faith. Their notes became prayers, their harmonies testimonies.
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Keon Baptist ministered with My Help, Omemma (Chandler Moore), and Psalm 34 (Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir), each piece a powerful bridge between gospel tradition and steelpan brilliance.
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Natasha Joseph moved hearts with Come Jesus Come (CeCe Winans), You Raise Me Up, I Speak Jesus (Holly Halliwell), and King of Glory (Todd Dulaney). Each song touched the congregation, drawing tears and lifted hands.
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Kersh Ramsey carried the room into surrender with Break Every Chain, Holy Forever, Oceans, and The Prayer (Donnie McClurkin & Yolanda Adams). His performance felt like waves, washing over the courtyard in divine awe.
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Obadele Allick led with Breathe (Dunsin Oyekan), Do It Again (Elevation Worship), and You Waited (Travis Greene), guiding the crowd into deep reflection and spiritual intimacy.
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Emmanuel Joseph closed the evening with Victory Belongs to Jesus, Find My Peace (Naomi Raine), and Good God Oh (Limoblaze & Ada Ehi). His selections brought the night full circle, affirming faith, joy, and triumph through worship.
Pan as Sacred Instrument
When Kersh Ramsey performed Break every Chain, silence swept the courtyard, broken only by the tremor of notes rolling like prayer into the night sky. Applause erupted, hands lifted. It was a moment of collective surrender; steelpan not as festival, but as faith.
This night was more than a concert. It was a sacred reaffirmation that the steelpan is more than a cultural artifact; it is a divine voice, a vessel of prayer, a sacred instrument capable of echoing across generations and nations.
As the evening closed, flags fluttering above, voices and pans intertwined, the message was clear: the steelpan belongs not just in panyards or on Carnival stages, but also in sanctuaries. Its resonance is eternal, carrying not only the sound of a people, but the spirit of a nation.
Ministers of Music
The atmosphere shifted as Blessed Messenger and Ancil Valley closed the evening with songs of exaltation. Their voices lifted the crowd into reverence, preparing hearts for worship. With each note, the courtyard transformed from headquarters into holy ground, faith and fervour stirring in every corner.
World Steelpan Day 2025 - Year Three (Mon Aug 11)
The third World Steelpan Day was more than celebration it was history unfolding in real time.
1–4 p.m.: Single-pan bands took over Duke Street, Piccadilly, and Behind the Bridge. Each corner became a living stage. Children tried rolls on borrowed sticks, elders sang along, cars slowed just to listen. Port of Spain pulsed like one giant drum.
5 p.m.: The Ancestral Walk. From Laventille, hundreds marched; Carrying flags, beating drums, tamboo bamboo, history into the pavement. Tears, laughter, chants: it was pilgrimage, it was testimony.
6 p.m.: Woodford Square erupted. Thousands filled the historic ground. People on benches, lamp posts, even rooftops straining for a view. Onstage: bp Renegades, NGC Couva Joylanders, Nutrien Silver Stars, Republic Bank Exodus, Pamberi, T&TEC Tropical Angel Harps.
Minister Michelle Benjamin addressed the nation: reaffirming that government’s recognition of pan as the national instrument would not be symbolic alone. She promised improved remittances, a permanent headquarters for Pan Trinbago, and investment in youth.
Then the music rose thunderous, joyous, uniting. From resistance to recognition, from scrap iron to symphony, from roots to resonance.
Youth Rising: Steelpan on the Promenade (Tue Aug 12)
The day after WSD, the Brian Lara Promenade belonged to the youth.
Six bands - Renegades Youth, All Stars Youth, Potential Symphony Youth, Desperadoes Youth, Supernovas Youth, Sun Valley Youth—transformed the city centre. Passersby stopped mid-errand, taxi drivers leaned on car doors, parents cheered from the sidewalks.
Each performance was a promise. These children weren’t just playing—they were inheriting. Pan’s future was loud, confident, and dazzling.
📸 Insert shot of All Stars Youth band mid-performance, uniforms gleaming
🎥 Insert Facebook reel – Youth steelbands at Promenade
🗣️ Memory and Voice: Oral History Night (Fri Aug 15)
At Massy Trinidad All Stars’ panyard, elders became griots. The theme: “Forged in Fire, Ascending to Greatness.”
They spoke of beating pans by candlelight, of hiding instruments from police, of curfews broken for music. They laughed at tales of pan rivalry pranks; they grew solemn describing discrimination. Younger listeners sat wide-eyed, some scribbling notes, others just absorbing.President Beverley Ramsey-Moore declared: “Without memory, we lose ourselves.” Minister Benjamin promised continued support for cultural storytelling.
📸 Insert photo of elder pannist speaking to young crowd at All Stars yard
🎥 Insert TTT News feature clip – Oral History Night 2025
🎠⭐ Flagship Two: Steelpan & Powder Parade (Wed Aug 20)
If World Steelpan Day was the heartbeat, the Steelpan & Powder Parade was the eruption.
5 p.m.: City Hall was the ignition point. Powder burst into clouds of white and blue. Trucks carrying steelbands rolled forward: Desperadoes, bp Renegades, Republic Bank Exodus, Silver Stars, All Stars, Pamberi, Harmonites, Skiffle, St. James Tripolians, Starlift.Moko jumbies strode above. DJ Private Ryan dropped beats between sets. Thousands in white danced shoulder to shoulder, faces streaked in colour, hands raised in joy. The streets—Pembroke, Keate, Frederick—became a sea of rhythm.
By the time the procession entered the Savannah, the city was one voice, one drum. It was carnival in August, but deeper—it was steelpan reclaiming the street where it was born. From roots to resonance, from struggle to celebration.
📸 Insert Newsday gallery photo – powder-covered crowd dancing in Frederick Street
📸 Insert close-up of moko jumbie towering over truck with band
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🎬 A Screen for a Legend: Jit Samaroo Documentary (Thu Aug 21)
At Queen’s Hall, reverence took cinematic form. The Jit Samaroo Documentary, sponsored by NGC, unfolded on the big screen.
Scenes of Samaroo’s rehearsals with Supernovas, his meticulous arranging, his mentorship of youth left the audience in awe. When the lights came back up, the applause did not stop. It was gratitude, grief, and celebration all rolled into one.
📸 Insert event poster “Jit Samaroo Documentary” with NGC logo
🎥 Embed trailer video clip – Jit Samaroo Documentary
🇹🇹 Independence Echoes: Shell Invaders Breakfast & Steelpan on the Avenue (Sun Aug 31)
Independence morning began with food and music at Shell Invaders’ panyard. From saltfish and buljol to cocoa tea, families broke bread while the band played. Red, white, and black flags waved as youth and veterans shared one stage.
By evening, Independence spirit surged into Ariapita Avenue. In partnership with the Garcia Family, Steelpan on the Avenue rolled 15 bands down the strip. Storefronts turned into balconies, sidewalks became dancefloors, and the entire Avenue became a concert hall. It was spectacle and intimacy, a grand finale to a month that had already felt historic.
📸 Insert Independence breakfast photo – families eating under pan yard tent
📸 Insert wide shot of Ariapita Avenue parade, pan trucks rolling past cafes
🎥 Insert Facebook live clip – Steelpan on the Avenue 2025
From Roots to Resonance
It was born from oppression, shaped in resilience, raised in defiance, and now celebrated with pride.
Pan Trinbago and the Ministry of Culture and Community Development, led by the Honourable Minister Michelle Benjamin, carried this month not just as organisers, but as custodians of legacy. And with bpTT and NGC standing as Steelpan Ambassadors, the resonance of 2025 was amplified far beyond our shores.
The month ended the way it began: not with silence, but with echoes. Echoes of struggle, echoes of joy, echoes of a nation that gave the world its only new instrument of the 20th century. Echoes of steelpan -Ours to Love, Ours to Cherish, ours to share.
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