Holetown festival holds street fair

Known as the best fair in the West, Holetown Festival did not disappoint.

Hundreds of tourists and locals alike flocked to the festivities from early yesterday morning to see just what the 43rd hosting of this event had to offer.
From birds to fish, to handcrafted jewellery to crochet hats, the wide variety of stalls on hand ensured there was something for everyone at the annual street fair.

One eye-opener for many was watching live stone sculpting and viewing the staggering sizes of locally crafted mortar pestles made from Barbados mahogany.

As the sizzling smells of fishcakes and barbecue chicken filled the air, patrons were also thrilled by the performance of a tuk band which made its way around the stalls and through the crowd.

Just after 11 a.m. a rumbling could be heard as a long procession of classic cars lined the street as part of the Courtesy Garage Vintage Cars Parade; always a spectacular hit with the car enthusiasts in the crowd.

A few moments later, these vehicles were followed by a street parade made up of Fire Cadets, the Cadet Corps band, outfits from primary schools, cheerleader squads from various secondary schools and the Barbados Defence Force’s Zouave band.

While enjoying the sights and sounds of the festival, in speaking to The Barbados Advocate one tourist from the United States however said while he was impressed with how the festival has grown in numbers, more variety must be considered.

“I love the colours and I love the Bajan vibe, but I find all of the souvenirs are the same from tent to tent. Unique pieces catch a person’s eyes and would make them want to spend money, so I hope that next year when I return, I can see more indigenous souvenirs for me to take back home,” said Jesse Tares.

The week-long festival ends today.

(JMB)