Despite heavy intermittent early morning showers and continued overcast conditions Lindeners were out in their numbers on Sunday to keep up the town=s proud tradition of being the birthplace of Mashramani.

The festivities, which kicked off shortly after midday, saw Masquerade and costumed and t-shirt bands tramping through the streets on both banks of the Demerara River, to popular music emitting from stereo sets mounted at the back of trucks.

By late afternoon the bands converged at the McKenzie Sports Club (MSC) ground where thousands had gathered to catch a glimpse of what the town had to offer. Later in the evening, many persons followed the trucks to various locations where road jams were held.

The day's proceeding started on the west bank of the Demerara river at Wismar and weaved its way to the east bank via the bridge linking the two sides of the Region Ten (Upper Demerara/Upper Berbice) community.

A brief shower during the festivities did nothing to deter revellers as they continued to gyrate to the popular Soca tunes. Among the bands that participated in the event, which was coordinated by the Regional Democratic Council (RDC), was a contingent from the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sports and some of the floats which participated in the Mash festivities in the city a week earlier.

There was also a contingent from Western Union Money Transfer, which distributed t-shirts and bandannas to revelers.

Persons in the area felt that though the Mash tramp was a step in the right direction, the amount of floats taking part was disappointing. It was their hope that the annual event which had its origins in the mining town could once again become an integral part of the town's annual cultural agenda.

Suggestions have also been posited for a greater level of participation by organisations in that region.