Oistins Fish Festival officially opens

The Flow Oistins Fish Festival 2023 got off to a flying start Saturday afternoon with a lighting ceremony marked by pomp and pageantry.

Accompanied by the beat of the drum, mother sallies, stilt walkers, a shaggy bear, and dancers, patron and founder of the festival, Stella Lady St John, from the viewpoint of a luxury vehicle, witnessed the lighting of the “Oistins Fish”.

Lady St John’s journey started on the main road in front of Massy Supermarket, to the Oistins Police Station.

During the launch, which was also filled with the sweet sounds of the Barbados Police Service Band, Chairman of the Oistins Festival Organising Committee since 2019, Toni Thorne, said that this year, the festival has a record number of stalls and support from corporate Barbados.

“We started in 2019, it is 2023 and we have lost some along the way. Two of our committee members passed on, Deonna Browne and Mervin Kellman and in the right fashion, two of our events are named after them. In 2019, Barbados had its first green festival and that was the Oistins Fish Festival.

“A couple of months ago, if you drove past or drove through Oistins, the fish needed a little bit of love. We were able, thanks to [Member of Parliament] Chris Gibbs, to receive some level of funding to be able to revamp the lights so that Lady Stella St John who created the lights could see the rekindling of these lights tonight,” Thorne said.

Thorne also announced that the Sir Harold Bernard Lecture has been renamed the Sir Harold Bernard Ideas Lab, which features many young luminaries speaking on topics such as climate change and sustainability.

“We have seen the establishment of the Oistins Run. We have seen the rebirth of the Great Tray Race. Our committee is also proud to say that our committee is also giving donations to approximately ten community organisations and will continue to do so for more community organisations after the festival.

“In December and also in February we met with the newly established Oistins Fisherfolk Committee, we also met with the Bay Garden Committee, we met with our established vendors, some of them would have been with the festival for over four decades when Herbie and Lady Stella St John, would have started. We are really thankful to have persons like Stephanie Chase who was the first ever Oistins Fish Festival pageant winner to be involved in the festival,” she said.

The Chairman, who thanked the stakeholders for the role they played in making the festival a reality, commended former organisers of the festival, Dr Dan Carter, and Herbie Yearwood who is deceased, for their commitment and dedication throughout the years.

“A festival cannot be a community festival without the people and I hope that you will come out and celebrate. Each event that we have features and highlights persons, whether it is the fisherfolk Sea tuh Stove, whether it is the Sip ‘N Paint, there is something for everyone”.

The festival, which kicked off on Good Friday night and is scheduled to end on Easter Monday, is marked by several events, including the popular Fish Boning, Dolphin Skinning, and Fish Cake Eating competitions, among others.

Before the opening ceremony, the Oistins Parade was held, featuring the Barbados Boys’ Scouts, cheerleaders, and dancers, among other groups. (AH)