Final preparations
for St. Martin Day
PHILIPSBURG--Preparations for St. Maarten/St. Martin Day are in the final stages, announced French side Culture Commissioner Noreen Brooks on Tuesday.
“This year we want it to be extra special,” said Brooks during a press conference hosted with her Dutch side colleague Louie Laveist. Special events of this year’s St. Maarten/St. Martin Day festivities will include a village cookout, a cruise, a ball, a fashion show and an agricultural show. French Quarter, the centre of the majority of activities, is the place of the fête.
Guests from neighbouring islands St. Kitts, Dominica, Antigua, Grenada, Anguilla, the Cayman Islands and Bermuda will arrive mainly on November 10. That night the village at French Quarter opens with a fashion show and traditional music. The village’s theme is “Back to the past: Into the future.”
The official ceremony on Saturday, November 11, will start with an early morning church service, as is customary, followed by a parade of troupes, placing of the wreaths at the border monument, traditional speeches and toasts at the French Quarter Community Centre.
This year’s theme is “It’s a new day: Celebrating the efforts within the region to create a greater Caribbean nation.” Brooks said the island was a great example in the Caribbean region because of its many nationalities and cultures, all living harmoniously together without oppression or aggression.
Brooks stressed the importance of community involvement. That is one of the reasons why so much emphasis is being placed on the community and culture for this year’s festivities. The village cookout is a good example of that community togetherness and St. Martin traditions. She said she hoped that all people would participate in the festivities.
Besides the customary bicycle race, the relay race and music/entertainment on stage, the activities on November 11 will include traditional games and possibly a crab race. Brooks said persons had asked for a crab race, as was done in the past with hermit or soldier crabs.
The traditional St. Maarten/St. Martin Day ball will take place Saturday evening. Brooks said the ticket price was being brought down to US $100. Tickets go on sale today, Wednesday. Brooks said proceeds of the ball would go to providing higher education opportunities for youngsters who needed financial assistance. The activities on Saturday end with fireworks in French Quarter and possibly at Hotel Mercure in Sandy Ground.
The cookout and agricultural show will take place on Sunday, November 12. Old time traditional food will be the highlight of the village cookout. Brooks said she hoped to also attract traditional food stands from other countries as well. The lagoon cruise in the evening is for invited guests. Guests return to their islands November 13.
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