2018 VG Easter Festival kicks off with food fair
The Virgin Gorda Easter Festival kicked off with the traditional Cultural Food Fair and Kids Day which featured musical arrangements from Virgin Gorda’s very own local bands like Leon and the Hot Shots, Final Faze, It’s a Secret and Elvis White.
In addition, patrons were treated to delicious local dishes like fish and fungi, Johnny cake and chicken as well as a little taste of the other Caribbean Islands like jerk chicken from Jamaica to oil down from Grenada.
Meanwhile, local drinks like sorrel, passion, limeade, peanut punch and many more drinks were available to wet the appetite of patrons.
Honourable D. Orlando Smith (AL), Premier and Minister of Finance, expressed that he was very pleased to see the arrangement of the field, while encouraging everyone to not let the effects of the hurricane of September 2017 “dampen the spirits” of people.
“I am immensely pleased to be here. When I came this year and see the arrangement around the field its very, very good. I have been around the various booths observing and I can say what a very good variety. The effects of the hurricane should not dampen the spirits of persons who are here at this particular ground to enjoy the food fair. This actually seems like if it’s like a festival ground where all the activities can continue to happen,” while expressing thanks to the management of the Little Dix Bay for allowing them to use the field.
During his remarks, Dr The Honourable Hubert R. O’Neal, Ninth District Representative, stated that despite the difficult circumstances, he wishes for everyone to enjoy the events that are scheduled for the VG Easter Festival. “I am here to welcome you to this the Easter festival food fair for 2018. Be safe and enjoy
Bigger festival was preferred- Hon Walwyn
Meanwhile, Honourable Myron V. Walwyn (AL), Minister for Education and Culture, indicated that he would have preferred to have a bigger festival to celebrate the different aspects the culture of the VI, noting that it would have served as an “economic stimulus” for the community.
He explained, “I would have preferred that because of two things in particular and not because we have gone through what we went through. We still have to celebrate the parts of our culture that was important and the festivities serve as an economic stimulus for the community and it will be a very good thing to be able to support the economy of VG by having people from Tortola and different parts of the Greater Virgin Islands to come across. So many persons came forward and said that they would prefer if we scaled it back and I accepted and respected that and so we have the festivities that we have here for the weekend,” while thanking persons who were involved in the preparation and those participating.
Trefor A. Grant, Chairperson of the Virgin Islands Festival and Fairs Committee (VIF&FC), commented that the Easter festival serves as a means to bring the communities and the people together regardless of their race, colour or ethnicity.
Booth owners show support despite scale down
In an exclusive interview with Glennie A. Ferguson aka ‘Momma Africa’, whose booth mainly caters to vegetarians, stated that she has been participating in the VG Festival for 2 years but has resided in the Territory for 30 years. She is originally from Grenada.
“It was a rough time during the hurricane but Jah is good and we all survived and I’m here strong as ever showing my support and things are just good.”
Speaking with another booth owner, who caters to the children by selling toys and sweet treats, commented that she has been participating in the VG Festival for many years and added that the scale down was not going to stop her from showing her support.
“It’s a scale down but I decided to come out and show my support. I’m hoping that persons just come out and support as the days go by,” said the booth owner.
A booth owner that caters to the Guyanese crowd indicated that the Virgin Islands has become her home, as she has been residing on Virgin Gorda for about 30 years and has always participated in the festival.
“This is my first year participating in the VG Festival but I have been around the other islands for 3 years. I decided to participate in the festival this year because there are people out there that need our help. Our business caters to helping persons to live well using natural means,” said the owner of Wellness by Natural Means, while adding that he did not have any challenges preparing for the festival.
The VG Easter Festival activities continue today, April 1, 2018, with the Honorable Ralph T. O’Neal OBE hat Parade from the Valley Methodist Church to St Mary’s Anglican Church beginning at 3:00 P.M. followed by a Lions Club Easter Egg Hunt at the Walters Recreation Park right after the hat parade.
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