The Mighty Grynner Highway will take the spotlight this weekend as the popular Bridgetown Market shifts to the iconic coastal roadway on August 5, 6 and 7.
Following the successful staging of the Crop Over Festival, Bridgetown Market Pop-Up in historic Bridgetown on July 29, residents and visitors to the island can enjoy more authentic Barbadian culinary fare, craft, art, clothing and apparel, soft furnishings, leather goods, jewellery, spa products and more, all produced by local creatives and artisans.
The family-friendly showcase and mega-shopping event will also be featuring some of Barbados’ most popular calypsonians and entertainers performing their hit tunes. They will also share the stage with several community groups.
In addition to the shopping and entertainment, those attending Bridgetown Market will be treated to workshops and demonstrations in basketry, pottery, traditional Bajan sweets, as well as games such as Warri and Potta.
Charge up your devices to capture all the sights and sounds, as well as the spectacular sunsets off the famous Brandon’s Beach. Strolling folk characters will be traversing the length of the Mighty Grynner Highway, re-enacting historical markers and adding to the spectacular ambience of August 5 and 6.
The action gets started on Saturday and Sunday from 9 a.m. and goes through to midnight. The excitement, of course, culminates the next day – Grand Kadooment Day.
Andre Hoyte, the National Cultural Foundation’s (NCF) Senior Business Development Officer and the producer of Bridgetown Market 2023 explained the NCF’s commitment to prioritising the street fair as an integral part of the Crop Over Festival.
He stated: “Crop Over is more than a carnival, and that has always been our ethos at the NCF. We see the importance of artisanal work to our culture, thus our continued focus on events like Bridgetown Market that promote our artisans and creatives.”
“As a cultural industries component, festivals create a huge amount of economic activity, and the economic activity is spread across several sectors. We see the music, the entertainers, the masquerade as focal points, but we also value our artisans who are also producing high-quality work – from make-up and spa products to foods and wines.”
Hoyte added: “These activities represent an entire cultural ecosystem that preserves our practices, traditions, foods, treats and other artisanal works. All of this is incorporated into the Crop Over Festival that generates around $80 million in contribution to the gross domestic product of this country.” (PR)
