Jan. 13, 2004 — Fiesta D'el Niño 2004, a music festival and fund-raiser designed to help fight breast cancer and multiple sclerosis, will take place Saturday from 4 to 10 p.m. at Hull Bay Hideaway. Since its inception three years ago, the music festival has steadily gained popularity; it will once again feature flamenco sensations Teye and Belén of Viva El Flamenco.
Several island merchants and service providers have contributed items for the grand raffle and silent auction, and many electrifying musicians from the V.I., America and Europe will perform. Teye and Belén, who have enthralled audiences worldwide, will perform at the fiesta for the third straight year.
It was Teye and Belén who actually helped get Fiesta D'el Niño started in the first place. Two years ago in 2002, the pair were walking along Vessup Beach with St. Thomas television producer and musician Paul Cater Deaton. Many of Deaton’s musical friends and collaborators on St. Thomas had expressed an interest in organizing a jam session with Teye and Belén and other musicians from off-island, and Deaton and the pair were trying to think of a place to get everyone together.
Forty-eight hours later a jam session took place at Hard Rock Café. The event received such overwhelming support that the trio decided to make the festival an annual event.
The next year Deaton explained, "I thought that the best thing to do with it would be to honor my parents, who gave me the ultimate birthday present, so we decided to raise funds and awareness to combat the diseases which took them from us."
Deaton then contacted Janelle Hail, president of the National Breast Cancer Foundation, and Betty Ross of the National Multiple Sclerosis Society, and informed them of his intentions. With help from a variety of musicians, Fiesta D'el Niño 2003 set the stage on fire with everything from jazz and blues to rock and flamenco. "The house was rockin' and St. Thomas came knockin'!" said Deaton of last year's event, which was filmed by TV2 for a segment of "Hot Ticket."
Dozens of island businesses contributed everything from jewelry and furniture to daysails, scuba trips, dinners and tram rides.
"We raised $2,000 to share between the two foundations, says Deaton, "and this year's festival promises to be even more successful in the fight against breast cancer and multiple sclerosis."
Publisher's note : Like the St. Thomas Source now? Find out how you can love us twice as much — and show your support for the islands' free and independent news voice… click here.
