F or the first time in living memory, fisherfolk across the island are set to have a national festival of their own called the Barbados Fisherfolk Festival . Unlike the recently rebranded Oistins Fish Festival , this inaugural event will encompass every active fishing village, market and landing site across Barbados and each of them will get a day to host a range of fun and family friendly activities. The organisers of the event explained that June 29 is internationally recognised as Fisherman Day but they wanted to extend the activities beyond a day to the entire month.
During the media launch of the festival on Friday at the Barbados Fisheries Division, Princess Alice Highway, The City, Chief Fisheries Officer Shelly-Ann Cox said she and her team believed this event will become the premier fisherfolk festival in the Caribbean. She said it was conceptualised to promote messages of sustainable fisheries in an innovative and inclusive way, adding that the festival will also showcase how and what it means to live sustainably in a small island through the use of food, fashion, film, poetry, music, and dance, and real world life demonstrations. The month of activities will start with a church service and end with a ball and award ceremony.
However, June 8 will be recognised as Six Men’s fisherfolk Day , June 15 Western Fisherfolk Day , the following day will be Consett Bay Fisherfolk Day , while June 22 will be the Bridgetown Fisherfolk Day. Pile Bay Fisherfolk Day will be reco.
