BROADWAY ROCKS AND GROOVES returns this year with an additional night of entertainment.

The six shows will span the era of 1950s to the 1970s. This year's cast is made up of Jeri Sager, Bob Mattern, Jeff Gardner, Rita Harvey, Kevyn Morrow and Danny Zolli, who all thrilled audiences last year, along with newcomers Erick Buckley, Robin Irwin and Coleen Sexton.

Broadway Rocks And Grooves II kicks off at the Frank Collymore Hall on February 16, and ends February 25.

The shows are part of activities for the sixth annual Gold Cup Festival, which culminates with the 25th running of the Sandy Lane Gold Cup on March 4. President of the Barbados Turf Club, Robert Bourque, said the event had turned into a "very horsey" festival.

All the major horse riding sports have been included in the 2006 festival. For the first time equestrian riding is in the Gold Cup mix, with the Caribbean Equestrian trials, which come off on February 18 and 19, at the Big C Riding Stables, Frere Pilgrim, Christ Church.

Equestrian joins polo and main event horse racing. Bourque said the coming together of the three sports was a realisation of the objective the Turf Club from the beginning.

Some of the other activities for the festival include The Sandy Lane Preview race day at the Garrison on Saturday; Art On The Block charity auction at Lancaster House on February 21, and the Sandy Lane Charity Golf Tournament the following day at the Sandy Lane Golf Course.

Barbadian polo teams will contest international matches against Cheshire at various venues between February 26 and March 5.

Retired, world-renowned jockey Gary Stevens will be honoured at a special cocktail party at Sandy Lane Golf Club on March 2. Stevens is part of the international Press, and will also be putting some of his memorabilia up for auction.

Pre-race betting starts at 4 p.m. at the Garrison on May 3. There will be the usual pageantry before the big race from the Mounted Branch of the Royal Barbados Police Force, the Police Band, the Barbados Defence Force Band, dancers and stilt walkers.

Over $250 000 has been donated to charities for children and seniors from activities in the Gold Cup Festival. (RJ)

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