The Celtic Festival Barbados is back following a two-year break due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The music festival celebrating the links between the Celtic countries of Scotland, Ireland, Wales, and Nova Scotia, will be held between May 12 and 15 when a series of entertaining events will be held.
Barbados Celtic Festival Director Jeana Leslie said during Wednesday’s launch at Blakey’s Bar and Restaurant, Hastings, Christ Church, that as the festival returns this year, organisers have been hosting workshops in the schools to expose Barbadian children to the Celtic culture.
Leslie said there will be a street parade on Saturday, including members of the Barbados Defence Force (BDF) Band.
The parade will start at Jubilee Gardens and will end at the Golden Square Freedom Park. Following the parade, an evening of entertainment will be held at Blakey’s. On Sunday, the Celtic Festival organisers will be partnering with the Barbados Hiking Association for a hike on the East Coast, after which an evening event will be held at Tapas Restaurant.
“Being back in Barbados is absolutely wonderful. We have had some tricky times over the last two years and it’s been a little bit of a tricky journey to get here, but we are absolutely delighted to be back.
We are going to come back stronger, we are going to rebuild, we are going to grow like everyone on the island is trying to do. Our festival is about being inclusive and fusing our culture and having a very good time,” Leslie said.
Director of Marketing at the Barbados Tourism Marketing Inc (BTMI), Robert Chase, said the re-emergence of the Celtic Festival shows the strong bond that exists between the United Kingdom and Barbados.
Chase indicated that while the United Kingdom continues to be Barbados’ largest source market, tourism officials have been paying attention to tremendous growth out of Ireland and Scotland. Chase said the festival is an example of what is involved in cultural exchange.
“We look forward to the week ahead with the Celtic Festival and we encourage them to use this as a rebuilding period and
to drive new sense of travel and new sense of exchange of cultures.
We know that there is a strong connection between the two communities and this Celtic Festival is sure to grow from strength to strength,” Chase said.
Mount Gay’s Marketing Manager, Anies Jordan, while delivering remarks at the launch, said the company was proud to be a major sponsor of the Celtic Festival.
She said Mount Gay was looking forward to the fusion of art and cuisine between Barbados and Scotland.
“We are seeing that it is going to be a beautiful and successful event this year and we are very happy and proud to be a part of this culture, and we are looking forward to many more years to come,” Jordan said. (AH)
