This weekend’s Gombey Festival Showcase has been postponed because of Tropical Storm Philippe.

The annual festival of drumbeat and dance was scheduled to take place on Saturday — one day after Philippe is predicted to hit the island head-on as a Category 1 hurricane.

The expected stormy weather has forced organisers to put the event back for two weeks until October 21.

A spokeswoman for the Department of Culture said the annual event required significant resources and infrastructure, which cannot be set up in harsh weather.

The spokeswoman added: “The Gombey Festival remains a highlight on the annual calendar of events and the Department of Culture looks forward to welcoming the community to this free, family-friendly activity on October 21.”