On Saturday the Crucian Coconut Festival welcomed attendees with refreshing treats of coconut, great weather, and a fun family afternoon for all on the “All Things Coconut” day. The all-around theme for this year’s coconut festival is “Going Door to Door in 2024,” and it was held on the Estate Bethlehem Sugar Factory site.
The festival is a three-day event and kicked off on Friday night where there was a “Vision of Tomorrow” fine art exhibit curated by renowned artist Lucien Downes.
Festival Media and Marketing Coordinator Akua Ducard told us on Saturday that the art exhibit was pleasantly attended by many children. One of the artists, Kanda Burges, encouraged children and adults to touch her textile paintings. Each painting has a different texture and provides a different feeling. Other paintings were provided by other talented artists of different ages.
At Saturday’s event attendees enjoyed palm weaving, tree ornament decorating, face painting, listening to the sounds of the Rising Stars Steelpan Orchestra, pastry-making lessons, coconut oil pressing, a petting zoo, and many more fun activities. The afternoon was closed out by the first woman Calysonian Monarch Nikki Brooks.
If you missed Friday and Saturday’s event you have one more chance to take part in the Coconut Festival on Sunday from 11 a.m. and it goes until 6 p.m.
A Jelly Scoop Competition, Andre Etienne’s debut Coconut Recyclable fashion show, Cultured Naturals Body Care full moon cloud dough-making fun, and Waldemar Brodhurst’s wire-making ornament workshop are just some of the family-fun activities. There will also be storytelling by Lt. Gov. Tregenza Roach, Stanley and the Ten Sleepless Knights will be joined by the Quadrille dancers, Kurt Schindler Quartet will play for the first time at the festival and the Guardians of Culture Moko Jumbies will perform.
