The Children’s Village family fun day is among Jamaica Cultural Development Commission’s (JCDC) events that will mark Independence celebrations across western Jamaica.

The JCDC’s western regional manager Natalie Morris says the villages will form part of the activities highlighting parish shows on Independence Day, Saturday, August 6.

She explained that the event aims to heighten children’s awareness about Jamaica’s indigenous cultural art forms, including traditional music, dance and storytelling.

The regional manager was speaking at a recent JIS Think Tank forum at the agency’s Montego Bay regional office.

Morris said consequent on the public’s feedback, JCDC will be rolling out “new and improved” children’s villages.

“We will have persons co-ordinating the old-time games…such as ‘dandy-shandy’, Chinese skip and rounders. We will also have a series of displays by marching bands and the Jamaica Fire Brigade,” Morris outlined.

These, she added, will be complemented by other activities such as go-cart rides, trampolines and bounce-abouts.

Morris is appealing to residents of western Jamaica to support the children’s villages and other events, which she said promise to be very exciting.

The village is one of two events which JCDC brought back this year by popular demand. The other is the just concluded ‘Big Stage’ talent search series.

The big stage series provided opportunities for deejays, ‘singjays’, magicians and dancers, among other budding artistes and performers, to showcase their talents in various communities across the region.

Morris said contestants vied for cash and other prizes, and advised that the winners are expected to appear on all Emancipation and Independence promotional shows across the region from July 31 to August 6.

Emancipation and Independence 2016 celebrations are being commemorated this year under the theme: ‘Let’s Get Together and Feel Alright’.