Bridgetown Market is back with a bang in 2023, in a featured role in this year’s Crop Over Festival.
The team at the National Cultural Foundation (NCF) has coordinated at least five big days of shopping for authentic work of Barbadian artisans in art and craft, culinary delights and produce. The fare will be topped off with live entertainment, workshops, demonstrations, exhibitions, as well as fun educational and historical enactments for the entire family.
There will be health checks, a heritage exhibition, road tennis, ‘socaerobics’ with the inimitable Spinny, live performances, and a chance for the late starters to buy Kadooment Day costumes.
This Saturday July 29, the first Bridgetown Market Pop-Up will come alive with the first of two all-day markets, where activities will focus in the central areas of the historic city – mainly at Golden Square Freedom Park.
The pop-up markets were introduced to the Crop Over calendar and were a success among creatives who plied their trade at the events held at Golden Square.
Andre Hoyte, Senior Business Development Officer and producer of Bridgetown Market 2023 hailed the coordination between the NCF and the Barbados Chamber of Commerce & Industry (BCCI) to encourage more people and economic activity to Bridgetown.
There will be shopping specials at select locations and Bridgetown Duty Free will be opened till 6 p.m.
Golden Square, a large public space in the City, will be transformed into a huge marketplace from 10 a.m. until 6 p.m. on Saturday.
From mid-morning, the island’s full range of artisans producing jewellery, pottery, basketry, local wines, sweet treats, natural hair products, make-up, works of art, carvings, leather goods, apparel, locally made candles and a range of gift items will be on sale at Golden Square.
“We know we are going to have waves of shopping. Some will go early in the morning and get their vegetables. Then you have those shoppers who come mid-morning around 10,” Hoyte explained.
The day’s entertainment will include: pannist Mark Forde who will be at Bridgetown Duty Free. There will also be a sunset concert featuring Cultural Ambassadors The Most Honourable Anthony Gabby Carter, and The Most Honourable Stedson RPB Wiltshire, TC, Kyrique Alleyne, Asanta, Shaqua, Junior Monarch Tae, Christ Church Foundation School Steel Orchestra, Trumpet Boy Entertainment and more.
Parents are also encouraged to bring the children to witness the historic open-air painting where a major art installation will be created telling the story of the Crop Over Festival.
Activities will also be occurring in Broad Street at Bridgetown Duty Free and Swan Street by Abed’s where strolling minstrels will bring history to life with music, reenactments, and representations and DJs will keep shoppers entertained.
Other locations such as Cheapside and Fairchild Street markets will be alive with shopping and at the BARVEN Market, special celebrations to commemorate Emancipation Day will be taking place on Saturday and Sunday. The traditional Bridgetown Market on the Mighty Grynner Highway will take place on August 5, 6, 7, and the last lap event of August 12. (PR)
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