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IT'S RAINING MEN: Host Brenda Emmanus with the Men of Stone

MARCH IS International Women’s Month and that means In Celebration of My Sisters is back for its 16th year.

Although 2011 was supposed to be the last year for the expo, the women’s weekender has been resurrected due to overwhelming demand. And this year, it’s the fellas that will be saluting the sisters. Instead of having women perform at the popular lifestyle show, a host of top male comedians, singers and dancers will be honouring women.

Tony Fairweather, CEO of Fairweather productions and creator of the event feels that it’s time for men to demonstrate their love for women.

“The show will feel different this year,” Fairweather explains. “We have the Men of Stone, who will perform a keep fit dance routine. They’re a group of fitness instructors who did a calendar to raise money for the ACLT (African Caribbean Leukemia Trust). They’ll be selling the calendars on the day.

“We’ve also got performances from Curtis Walker and Junior Giscombe, to name a few. I wanted men to have more of a say this year and to let them entertain the women.”

Flashback 16 years, before In Celebration of My Sisters existed, and a younger Fairweather found himself in an argument about International Woman’s Month.

“Two women in my office were saying that International Women’s Month was only for lesbian European women and that African-Caribbean women were excluded. I said to them, ‘Why don’t you do something about it instead of moaning?’ They said to me, ‘Why don’t you do something about it?’ So I rose to the challenge, that’s how the show started. I never thought it would last 16 years.”

But the event has stood the test of time and the celebrations do not look like they will stop any time soon.

“I’m sure In Celebration of My Sisters will continue on and on, because we give a platform to new and established talents that you would not normally see. It’s a family show, and there are very few family shows that get produced within the black community.

“We are very proud that anyone can take a six-year-old and an 80-year-old grandmother to the show and no-one would be offended, because there is no profanity and there is something for everyone.”

This sentiment is shared by presenter of the event, Brenda Emmanus, who after almost two decades, has seen the fraternity of womanhood grow.

“It’s a show that belongs to our community; we own it and we put it on,” says the BBC entertainment correspondent. “The show has been going for so long because the audience knows what they are getting with the band and live performances, so people look forward to it. There is always a great turn out, a great camaraderie and sisterhood. I say sisterhood but there are also a lot of men in the audience as well.”

With the balance being shifted towards a majority of male entertainers, does the Emmanus feel a bit overwhelmed by the change? Not at all.

“It’s usually about 40 per cent men in the audience, but in terms of the entertainers, that varies. This year, the show will be dominated by male talent celebrating women, which makes it fresh.

“Black men get a hard time at the best of times, so if we can do our best to celebrate them and share their love, that’s not a bad thing. And there’s a lot of great male talents that don’t get showcased.

“They are equally worthy of a platform and it gives them their chance to celebrate women. Black relationships aren’t always celebrated; they are usually knocked or a source of controversy and this is a chance for us to show love, gender-wise.”

For Emmanus, the best part of the event is the talent on offer.

“There are very few arenas where we get the chance to share in this way. The best part of it is when we dance to lover’s rock music. Lover’s rock is something that is very black British; it is something that is uniquely ours and the talent that we have on show is uniquely ours also, like Yolanda Brown and Angie Le Mar.”

A huge part of the women’s weekender is family. Over the 16 years, the audience has grown with the organisation and the younger generation has taken the helm, both in performance and participation. Joining Brenda Emmanus as a co-presenter of the event is The Voice’s Janelle Oswald, who epitomizes the next wave of girl power.

“I haven’t been a part of the event as long as Brenda, but I’ve definitely been part of the growing phenomenon that is In Celebration of My Sisters for years and it has been a pleasure and blessing to be able to work with them now,” said the People and Places journalist. “I can remember the very first time I went to the expo. I was 21 and still at university. Ironically, I was one of the festival members who was plucked from the crowd to go up on stage!

“Years later, I think about how it made me feel, the motivation that I felt. I was inspired and encouraged to believe in who I was and celebrate it.

“That is what In Celebration of My Sisters does. It really empowers that mantra; you are beautiful, you are blessed, we’re black and we’re proud. Let’s go forward feeling positive and united.”

The two-day women’s lifestyle expo takes place on March 17 and 18. In Celebration of My Sisters completes the weekender on March 18. At Fairfield Hall, Croydon. For more information visit www.womensweekenderexpo.co.uk or www.fairfieldhall.com