Saturday, March 30th and Sunday, March 31st were two brilliant, sunny days that provided a balmy, breezy environment for Anguilla’s annual seafood feature fest, Festival Del Mar.
Festival Del Mar, now in its seventeenth year, is a celebration of the people’s love for the sea and the fancies of their favourite seafood. Held in the quaint fishing village of Island Harbour, the festival attracts thousands of residents and hundreds of visitors to our shores each year to enjoy good, nutritious sea food and merriment in a friendly Anguillian atmosphere.
Of special note was the visit of French St. Martin’s President of the Collectivité, Mr. Louis Mussington and his family. They were honoured guests, and Anguilla warmly welcomed them as well as other visitors from the neighbouring island of St. Martin/Sint Maarten.
The opening of Festival del Mar featured an address by the Honourable Premier, Dr. Ellis Webster, who is a resident of Island Harbor Village and the Representative for that constituency, District 1.
“It is my distinct honour to welcome you to Island Harbour, the birthplace of the Anguilla Revolution, and to the 17th Festival del Mar – the best seafood festival in the Caribbean,” the Premier jovially said.
“Here in Island Harbour, we have a great love and respect for the sea. The sea not only feeds us, but it provides our entertainment and our exercise. We grew up knowing [how] to embrace the sea and protect it; not to exploit it. For most of us, the sea has put a roof over our heads, helped to build banks and businesses in Anguilla, and even paid to educate us and our children.
“That is why this Festival is important to us; not only to the residents of Island Harbour, but to all of Anguilla, as we celebrate Island Harbour and our connection to the sea.”
Among his observations, the Premier expressed his thanks and appreciation to the organizers of the annual event.
“I wish to thank the Festival del Mar Committee,” he said, “comprising of Chairman Damien ‘Vaughnie’ Harrigan, Monique Webster, Othlyn Vanterpool and other members, past and present. You continue to pull off a spectacular Festival in spite of limited resources. I also wish to thank all the sponsors, the vendors and the participants. And I wish to thank you, our visitors and residents, for making this event so special and successful.”
Throughout the festive weekend, in the midst of music and merrymaking, large crowds ebbed and flowed. The grateful vendors were delighted to have so many customers patronize their delicious seafood dishes, whether it was seafood pasta, conch soup, conch stew, fried jacks and Johnny cakes, lobster, crayfish or flying fish. The jolly spirit of Island Harbour was particularly evident during those two noteworthy days.
One of the highlights of the event was a special presentation by the Anguilla Enhancement Project (AEP) – an eco-friendly beautification club. The President of that organization, Mrs. Nakishma Rogers-Hull said: “Each year, we host a Best Village Competition. Last year, Island Harbour came away with the award for ‘The Greenest Village’. Since then we have renamed that status as ‘The Most Sustainable Village’. And indeed, Island Harbour has won the award again this year.”
“As part of Island Harbour’s prize,” she said,“ we have gifted the village with a beautiful interactive Billboard which is located on the beach. We encourage everyone to pose and take pictures beside it and tag the Anguilla Enhancement Project on Facebook and Instagram.”
She noted that the beautiful billboard was designed by Louise Fayet of the AEP Club, created by Ron’s Sign Shop, and sponsored by the AEP Club and the National Commercial Bank of Anguilla.
Another striking highlight of the Festival was the Festival del Mar Class ‘B’ Boat Race which created a flurry of excitement early Sunday evening as the boats returned to harbour and the winners were revealed. In 1st place was “The Upsetter”; “The Storm” took 2nd place; “The FS Tornado” came in 3rd; in fourth place was “Stay Up 2”; fifth place was taken by “Hurricane”; and “Legal Rights’ trailed in at last position.
The curtains came down on Festival del Mar 2024 at about 10:00 Sunday night.
By all accounts, everyone in attendance had an unforgettable, swell time.
