Aruba’s Hi-Winds Wind- and Kitesurfing event is already in its 27th year and this year promises to be even better than previous years. New addition to this year’s event are: XCC mountain bike event, more long distance races for windsurfers and kiters, a beach tennis competition and SUP races. The event takes place from July 2nd till July 8th and everyone is invited to join the activities at the Fisherman’s Huts.

Renaissance Aruba Resort & Casino hosted another successful RLife Live event on June 19 2013. The Global Day of Discovery event with DJ Chuckie and the Dirty Dutch crew kicked of the ‘Summer of Discovery’, a summer-long calendar of Rlife Live events at Renaissance locations around the world. DJ Chuckie also announced that during the weekend of September 6 to 8, will host the launch of the Electric Festival (EF).

Poetry is an Island investigates the life of Caribbean Nobel Laureate Derek Walcott. The film includes poetry - recited by the poet himself - and features places in St. Lucia that are meaningful to him. The film also shows conversations with Walcott on themes such as poetry, Caribbean languages, painting, his Dutch (Sint Maarten) heritage, theatre and society. The project and the film will have its world premiere during the 2013 edition in the presence of Derek Walcott himself.

Maggy's Aruba 11th annual Beauty Festival starts tonight with an opening event from 7pm - 9pm. During this six day event several international make-up artists and aestheticians will be available for workshops, consultations, make-overs, cabine sessions and hair & skin analysis.

Aside from showcasing a number of films from Venezuela, the Aruba International Film Festival (AIFF) announced today that it will host some of its neighboring country’s most recognizable names in film and television Maria Conchita Alonso (multiple Grammy Award Nominee and Hollywood movie star), María Alejandra Martín, Hilda Abrahamz, Ivette Domínguez, and actor Albi de Abreu. Also the filmmakers behind the Venezuelan hit Brecha en el Silencio (Breach of Silence), Luis and Andrés Rodriguez, will attend along with members of the cast to conduct an audience Q&A after the screening of their film.

The Aruba International Film Festival (AIFF) fourth edition will take place July 2-6, 2013. AIFF Co-Founder and Executive Director Jonathan Vieira unveiled initial details surrounding the 2013 Film Festival announcing the fourth AIFF will open with Steekspel (Tricked), the first user-generated production—part documentary, part narrative—from internationally renowned Dutch film director Paul Verhoeven (Robocop, Basic Instinct, Total Recall). Nearly 40 films from over 25 countries will have their world, international, or regional premieres in Aruba, including A Perfect Man, starring Liev Schreiber and Jeanne Tripplehorn; and Mine Games, by director Richard Gray and emerging stars Briana Evigan and Ethan Peck. Gracing the silver screen are the documentaries Angels in Exile (narrated by Oscar-winner Charlize Theron), Finding Hillywood, and Femme (produced by Sharon Stone); and the action pic Empire State, starring Liam Hemsworth, Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, Michael Angarano, Emma Roberts, and Jerry Ferrara.

After organizing several successful wine tasting events, Taste of Belgium Restaurant located in Palm Beach Plaza Aruba, decided to organize a Belgium Beer tasting event. This event, organized on June 14 at 7.30 pm, will introduce beer lovers to several beers brewed in Belgium.

The organization of the Caribbean Sea Jazz Festival released the first names of this year’s festival and announced that after six successful festivals at Cas di Culture this upcoming festival will be held at the Renaissance Marketplace.

Every year on June 24, Aruba celebrates its San Juan Dera Gai Festival. The celebrations during this holiday have changed over the years, but the festival originates from 1862 and celebrates the harvest. A team from Aruba’s Department of culture began visiting several schools to teach the children about this holiday and their cultural roots.

Once again Aruba hosted the annual Soul Beach Music Festival over the Memorial Day. The weekend was filled with performances by comedians Sinbad and Damon Williams, Claudius Phillips, Tamia, D’Angelo, Le Grove, Elle Varner and NE-YO.

Aruba’s 27th annual Hi-Winds Windsurfing and Kite Surfing event is coming up soon and promises to be as spectacular as every year. Besides the regular organized kite- and windsurfing events, this year’s organizers also added some new events like a Night Kite Surfing Show and a Mountain Bike event.

Soul Beach Music fans are excited as the party has just started today! Soul Beach Music festival during Memorial week has prepared an amazing lineup including the Grammy Award winning artist, Ne-yo, and the man who has initiated it all, Sinbad, who will be here to rock the audience. The 5-days of the SBMF 2013 will be punctuated by daily beach parties and their famous after-concert events. The schedule is included in this article.