First Bridgetown Craft Market potpourri on Friday

The City will come alive with an explosion of colour, culture, food, craft, art and all things Bajan, when the first of two Bridgetown Craft Markets gets started this Friday.

Celebrating the theme The Shop Crop Over Experience, the National Cultural Foundation (NCF) has paired the Bridgetown Craft Market with its Crop Over Sweet Limes to add even more flavour to an already highly popular attraction.

The Golden Square Freedom Park will be the hub for authentic Barbadian craft, wellness products, jewellery, cosmetics, local memorabilia, leather goods, clothing, soft furnishings and, the hottest DJ music and entertainment, from 10 a.m.

The live entertainment will include the Foundation Steel Pan Folk Troupe, St Mary’s School Landship, St Cyprian’s Boys Choir, Deacons Primary Landship, Dancin’ Africa, limbo and fire eating, Mark Forde on Steel Pan, artistes from the Pink Pen Project, and more.

Senior Business Development Officer at the NCF, André Hoyte said the range of activities and entertainment is meant to be a boost to creatives and encouragement for Barbadians and visitors to make Bridgetown the go-to place for high quality local products and fare.

With the country already abuzz with ICC Men’s T20 World Cup matches being hosted here, Hoyte anticipates excitement and interest in the Bridgetown Craft Market, especially with the cricket tournament final being on Saturday.

“It’s exciting that T20 cricket is also happening in Barbados… So, we know that people are going to be in The City in their numbers looking for things to do, food to eat, gifts to take back, and entertainment to enjoy,” he said, as he also praised the efforts of the Barbados Chamber of Commerce and Industry for its cooperation with the NCF on these Bridgetown-based events.

Restaurants and stores in Bridgetown will be opening late as DJs play some of the big hits of the season at select locations, including Abeds, DutyFree Barbados, Royal Shop, and Sole Addiction, while soca artistes will add more thrills to the potpourri of attractions from various locations.

Fully costumed festival characters will stroll the streets and boardwalks of Bridgetown, showcasing the cultural experiences and history of the island in dramatic form.

The day culminates with the final Crop Over Sweet Lime at Golden Square with a line-up that includes: Lil Rick, Mikey, Mr Blood, RPB, Fadda Fox, Barry Chandler, Coopa Dan, Adrian Clarke, Timmy, and many more.

Hoyte highlighted the sponsorship which Toyota Nassco Limited, KFC, and Payce Digital – digital payment partner of the festival, have provided this year to help make the Bridgetown Craft Markets a success.

(PR)