St. Lucia native Kieran Emanus has been working as a horse-drawn carriage driver in New York City for almost thirty years. Despite his love for his job and the horses, Emanus is now branching out into a new equine-related business venture by opening a horse and carriage company in his tropical Caribbean homeland.

He aims to open one of the few horse-and-carriage attractions in the Caribbean region for tourists and locals in St. Lucia by the end of the year. St. Lucia is already known for its numerous stables offering horseback riding experiences, so Emanus hopes to capitalize on this by providing carriage rides. His only challenge is finding enough qualified carriage drivers, but he plans to rectify this by conducting training sessions once he is back in St. Lucia. Emanus is also in the process of establishing an online and social media presence for his new business.

In New York, Emanus remains an active member of the city’s immigrant-heavy horse and carriage industry. He’s passionate about introducing more Caribbean individuals into the business, which is primarily made up of immigrants from various countries. His upcoming venture in St. Lucia is a result of a serendipitous journey that started when he was a young man, and his experience with horses eventually led him to the carriage business.

While preparing to launch his St. Lucia business, Emanus is also getting ready for the holiday season in New York, which is the busiest time for bookings. Those interested in horse and carriage rides in Central Park can visit centralpark.com/tours or contact Emanus directly at (917) 705-0952.

It’s ‘Dance Grenada’ time

The Dance Grenada Festival returns for its fourth season from Oct. 20 through Oct. 23, under the theme, “The Time is Now: Unification under the Grenadian Sun.” The event will feature performances and workshops in Caribbean Contemporary, Afro-Cuban, Soca, Traditional Grenadian Folk Dance, and Hip Hop, taught by experts from the Caribbean and the U.S. The festival will also include cooking demonstrations, an international vendor’s marketplace, and special celebrations of the island’s renowned cultural practitioners. For tickets and more information, visit dancegrenada.com.