Scarborough, Tobago - Tuesday, July 24, 2012: Remember being warned to “dust off yuh boots and run to the gym” at the beginning of June? Well your mettle will soon be tested as the mega weekend of the 2012 Tobago Heritage Festival is finally here!

The Les Coteaux Folk Tales and Superstitions production kicks off the action Thursday with a 6:00 a.m. start to the day at the Les Coteaux Community Centre where guests can prepare to get spooked with the spellbinding tales and then thrilled with the much-anticipated stage production, ‘All Ah We Own’ at 8:00 p.m. at the Tablepiece Recreation Ground.

The real test of stamina begins Friday as activities move to Plymouth for the Plymouth Carnival Exhibition from 10 a.m. The exhibition is being facilitated by Pan Trinbago, TUCO and the National Carnival Institute and will showcase all artistic and historical elements of a traditional carnival celebration.

All eyes turn to the Plymouth Hard Court for the Heritage Calypso Monarch Competition and the Pan Folk O Rama at 8:00 p.m. This staple of the Heritage Festival is the opportunity for contestants to present inspired compositions based on this year’s theme Heritage: Yours, Mine and Ours – To Preserve and Protect. At the end of the night, one lucky competitor will get the judges’ nod of approval and walk away with the coveted title of the 2012 Heritage Calypso Monarch. Veteran calypsonians including Lord Nelson, Tobago Crusoe, Super Blue, Johnny King and Rootsman will entertain patrons to the show. Cultural icons from the community who contributed in the areas of pan, calypso and mas-making will also be honoured.
The excitement continues hours later with the Plymouth Ole Time Carnival J’Ouvert celebration and competition scheduled to begin at 5 a.m. Saturday followed by a stage production at the Plymouth Recreation grounds from 4 p.m.

Buccoo Day into Night production rounds up the weekend’s activities with an entire day of cultural performances by local groups, tours to the infamous Buccoo Reef and exciting goat and crab races.

Yuh think yuh ready?