Pirates Week 2024 fun festivities fireworks
By Christopher Tobutt
Pirates Week – well it’s the best part of a month really – three weeks of culture, fun, and festivities, oh and don’t forget fireworks. It Kicked off with a Pirates Pub Crawl on Friday November 8 But the fun really got started on Saturday, 9 November – with the world-famous cardboard boat race at Hog sty Bay- where different teams see whose boat can stay afloat without becoming soggy the longest. It was a good way to start the festivities, with lots of laughter and loud cheering as the boats finally made it to the shore – and the theme of this year’s Pirates Week was, ‘Setting sail through time.’
There was a spectacular motorcade – with all the beauty queens and princesses waving regally from the floats. Each float from each district had a different theme, showing a different aspect of Cayman’s rich culture and heritage. Then there was the Cayman Islands float which showcased the colour and life of all the Cayman Islands.
On Cardinal Avenue there were stalls with mouthwatering samples of local cuisine – conch fritters, conch stew, Cayman Style beef – Fish & Fritters. There were arts on display – such as Charlotte’s Designs – featuring beautiful, stylized art using embroidery, each one completely original. There were stalls selling locally-made hot sauces, and stalls selling Henna tattoos. Deal Ebanks was there with his daughter. He was showing a mom-and-daughter pirate the exquisite spinning tops, carved from hardwood, which he has made from the time he was a young boy growing up in West Bay, while his daughter was showing people how the conch shell could be blown to make a loud horn that used to be sounded as a warning, or when a big fishing boat came home.
Then there was Wray Banker, showing visitors important cultural artifacts- he had a beautiful Warri board- a game with a big wooden board and depressions, in which you move a wooden counter. It’s a game that’s at least three thousand years old, and imported from Africa.
There was a display of dancing from Dreamcatchers dance troupe, and traditional music from Cayman’s ‘Kitchen’ band, Swanky, who got everyone up on their feet and jumping as the afternoon turned into evening, and who can stop their feet from dancing to ‘Munzie Boat In the Sound?’ Or ‘Leave Grandma Alone?’
Then there was the highlight – the Pirates Landing, with lots of pirates staking their claim to the Cayman Islands for the week.
But mostly, there were Pirates! Moms, dads, boys and girls. Pirates in pushchairs, grandad pirates and grandma pirates. There were
As night fell the air was filled with the buzz-buzz-buzz of drones, forming wonderful pictures in the sky of Cayman Islands Iconography.
There was more fun on Sunday with the Family Fun Day at the Turtle Centre and Nov 11, which saw the Dave Martins Pirates Party 5K Walk/Run – named after the iconic musician of Trade Winds, and writer of the hugely popular annual comedy show, Rundown.
05 Jun, 2024
11 Jul, 2024
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