While the rest of the Caribbean watched on, Covid-9 free Anguilla cautiously allowed its citizens to participate in jam sessions and boat racing for the August holiday week.
The Emancipation activities, a sort of re-enactment of the celebrations marking the end of slavery, are normally held during the Anguilla Summer Festival in the first week of August.
Those events, which usually attract hundreds of visitors and returning Anguillians, were cancelled as a result of the precautions against the spread of the Covid-19 disease in the community. As was explained elsewhere in this edition of The Anguillian newspaper, only a few events were allowed and were strictly permitted for nationals on the island and not for persons arriving from abroad.
Baccanal Morning + Cooldown 
Baccanal Morning + Cooldown
The events were restricted in terms of duration and location – and the Royal Anguilla Police Force issued guidelines regarding the holding of the activities and the flowing of traffic. The guidelines also took into consideration that a number of students were sitting examinations in The Valley area where they had to be transported from other parts of the Anguilla.
August Monday Jouvert 
August Monday Jouvert 
August Monday Jouvert 
August Monday Jouvert
The events in question included: J’ouvert and Kool Down Music Event on Saturday, August 1 from 5.00 am to 9.00 am; J’ouvert Jam from 5.00 am to 9.00 am; Music Stage Show at the Landsome Bowl Cultural Centre, on Monday, August 3 from 5.00 pm to 11.59 pm; and Sunrise 2 Sunset Cultural Escape J’ouvert at South Hill from 6.00 am to 10.00 am, culminating into a festival village on the South Hill Ball Park and ending at 10.00 pm.
A Class Boats ready for competition 
Cooling off in the inshore waters of Road Bay
The boat races at Road Bay, Sandy Ground, and Meads Bay were allowed to take place – but again with no one permitted to visit Anguilla. Road Bay, known for its cluster of visiting boats and persons from St. Martin/St. Maarten, as well as other visitors, was like a ghost town on August Monday. The planned boat race took place but with an empty beach – and only groups of Anguillian swimmers in the surf waters to cool off from the searing heat of the sun. There were also a number of persons – a far cry, far from the usual large crowd – patronizing the beach bars and restaurants.
Meads Bay Boat Race on August Thursday 
Meads Bay Boat Race on August Thursday
The boat race at Meads Bay, on August Thursday, saw a larger number of A and B class boats participating than previously. It was a big event for local fans and vendors. The only negative event was when two B class boats, the UFO and Satellite collided, sending sailors into the sea – and the Satellite, with a gaping hole, to the bottom of the sea some distance from the shore.
The Champion of Champions boat race was held at Road Bay, Sandy Ground, on Sunday, August 9. The winning results were: Sonic first; De Wizard, second; and Blue Bird, third.
