Vendors voice hopes and concerns ahead of Grand Kadooment celebrations

Vendors along the Mighty Grynner Highway said they were bracing for a challenging but hopeful Crop Over weekend, as they contend with rising costs, security worries and last-minute preparations, but are optimistic the festivities will unfold peacefully and profitably.

When Barbados TODAY visited Spring Garden on Thursday, stalls were being erected, tents assembled and utility crews worked to ensure power and other services were ready ahead of the Grand Kadooment celebrations.

For vendor Wayne Hope, the setup is going smoothly, but he’s praying for peace this year.

“Everything’s going good and I hope that it ain’t no violence,” he said. “We ain’t living in a perfect world, but you know, we’re still here. We can’t prevent nothing from happening. But everything should go smooth this year because we come to enjoy ourselves.”

Hope expressed concern about rising violence: “The young fellas today, you know, there’s a lot of violence and things going on with other people but I feel that it should be peaceful for Crop Over and every year should be so by the grace of God.”

Calling for calm, he added: “I feel that they should put down the guns, enjoy themselves at Crop Over and let everything go smoothly.”

This is Hope’s second year helping another vendor on the highway.

“Last year, it was good,” he recalled, adding they’ve now moved to “a better location”.

He confirmed that the National Cultural Foundation (NCF) again assigned vending spots, but said some operators tend to wait until the last minute.

“Between today and by Friday morning, everything should be done,” he said. “And then everybody will be set up and prepped for 4 a.m. all the way to Grand Kadooment.”

He also urged caution: “You have to try and be careful out there because, you know, they’ve got young fellas who want to come and attack you and talk stupidness.”

Nearby, Jackie Burke, owner of J. Burkes Bar and Hideaway, said she’s hoping for better fortunes this year after a rough 2024 season.

“Last year, it was a disaster . . . for me,” she admitted. “I hope [this year is better]. If not, I’m going to pass out.”

Burke, who has been vending on the highway for over three decades, reiterated her hope for “positive results this year… and good weather. That’s all that matters.”

A few stalls away, the owner of Mika’s Taste also anticipated a successful weekend, though she was frustrated with rising costs and how vendors are being treated.

“Last year was really good. I cannot complain,” she said. “Even when other people say that they weren’t getting through and stuff like that, I must say that last year was not bad for me.”

But this year’s experience has been more stressful: “I pray to God it will be better than last year—a safe Crop Over, because right now it has gotten so expensive, and I think that NCF is doing a great job with the festival, but a horrible job when it comes to the vendors.”

“I find that they just do what they feel like, and I don’t like that,” she continued. “This is my first time here on this spot. I normally be further up, but now the sponsors push we all the way back down here . . . . We gotta pull out money for these stalls, and these stalls have gotten expensive.”

She said she struggled to gather enough money to purchase ingredients this year. “I look at my price list from last year, and it was like, I don’t even know what to do. Should I stick to the price to get the full sale? I don’t know, but I put it in God’s hands. That is it.”

The vendor is also worried about security.

“There’s so much robberies going on now. A lot of people were frightened to come because they’re scared,” she added.

With many female vendors operating overnight without male support, she hopes police will increase patrols during the long weekend.

(LG)