Low key Oistins Fish Festival

The first Oistins Fish Festival to be held in two years has been described as low key by vendors and patrons.

The usually highly anticipated Festival, which is held over the long Easter weekend, was last held in 2019 because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

When Barbados TODAY arrived in Oistins this afternoon for today’s opening day, the streets were mostly empty with a very small crowd.

Ashley Jackson, whose business Island Girl sells a wide variety of garments, told Barbados TODAY she was disappointed the event had not been adequately publicized.

She said a lot of people were unaware the Festival was being held.

Enza Pilla, who is from North Carolina, posing with G-Boy, a one-year-old green monkey.

“I wish it was a little more advertised. It wasn’t advertised as we expected it to be. Like how you are seeing ForeDay Morning and all of these parties that are so far away, this event that is just right here nobody knows about because half of the customers and people that are walking the streets weren’t even aware something was going on,” Jackson lamented.

“For the whole day this is the most people I’ve seen, so we’re going to give it a little more time and maybe it will open up a little bit more.

“But in all I am very glad and grateful that we are outside and we are here to get a little dollar and a bread to eat so we will make the best of it,” she added

Roel Taylor (left), Raja Taylor, Aurora Taylor and Natasha Boyce, waiting patiently for Hopey De Clown to finish his balloon masterpiece.

Roger Goodridge, who operates The Don’s Toy City, told Barbados Today he hoped the crowds would increase.

He said while he was accustomed to taking part in the Festival, this was the smallest crowd he had seen.

“Things are now picking up but as this is the first time in two years that we get to come out I hope things will be a little better. The crowd is reasonable and I’m thankful for what little I get because we haven’t had anything for a very long time. It is not like before because we don’t have any parades but so far it is ok.”

Another vendor who opted not to give her name said sales had been extremely slow.

“I’m not seeing a lot of people and as a result I haven’t gotten a lot of sales. Hopefully things will pick up later today or tomorrow,” she said.

Michael King, who was enjoying the Festival with his girlfriend, said he was disappointed with what he had seen.

He said he was accustomed to more activity.

“This isn’t like the Festival I’m accustomed to at all. I can’t see myself spending more than half an hour here. It’s real dead compared to previous years,” he said.

His opinion was shared by Joseph Ishmael who said the hype was missing.

“I’m not really feeling it at all. To be honest I don’t think a lot of people know it’s going on so I will come back tomorrow and see how it is,” he said.