 The
Valley, Anguilla Feb 15, 2008; Festival del Mar is a
community-based tourism festival ALL about Seafood and a
love for the Sea! Scheduled to be staged over the Easter
Weekend March 22 & 23, 2008 Festival del Mar (Festival of
the Sea) in itself is a community-based tourism festival
primarily aimed as a means of creating and increasing
awareness as to the importance of the fishing industry
within the economic/tourism development on Anguilla, with an
overarching view towards sustainability within the fishing
sector thus lending to the continued enhancement of
livelihoods. The festival will in its first year bring
together the fishing community of Island Harbour (renowned
as one of the historically, primary fishing villages on the
island) to showcase their fish and seafood offerings
prepared in various ways, and will afford locals and
visitors the opportunity to enjoy amazing cuisine and meet
local fishermen in their natural setting.
The festival will feature local vendors from the Island
Harbour community with different food stalls strewn along
the Island Harbour Beach and Roadside serving up an array
of:
- Fish, lobster, crayfish, conch, tuna, etc. in
various forms: grilled, fried, steamed, marinated,
roasted, hot and spicy, etc.
- Island specialties: dumplings, fungi, fry cakes,
Johnny cakes, rice and peas and other island delights.
The festival will also incorporate music and other
activities involving the community.
- Recognition for the pioneers in fishing (from Island
Harbour).
- Short lectures and best practice tips on fishing.
- Traditional island music (string band, reggae, etc).
- Swimming races, and other competitions
Anguilla is fast becoming known for its food as for its
beaches and hence the island’s culinary scene provides the
ideal backdrop for this type of festival, with its more than
85+ restaurants which have visitors lauding the island as
one of the Caribbean’s top culinary destinations. The true
flavor of this laid back island outpost is served up island
wide at 5 star restaurants, cafes, beach joints, inns, and
at the top resorts, where internationally-acclaimed chefs
from every corner of the globe are cooking up an eclectic
mix of international and island style cuisine. With wine
cellars that rival some of the finest, and reggae beach bars
that serve Perrier Jouet by the glass, island dining has
been elevated to a new level.
Some critics contend that the island’s most delectable
cuisine are the finger-licking dishes cooked up by local
chefs and served roadside, and the small beachside stands
all over the island.
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