Pirates, parades and prizes at annual festival
Jessica Ebanks (centre), winner of the District Heritage Ambassador costume competition with the other entrants
(CNS Local Life): The 41st Pirates Week Festival landed on Grand Cayman this past weekend, bringing a parade, music, fireworks, various competitions and, of course, general revelry. Contests were held to name best float, District Heritage Day, song and District Heritage Ambassador, along with winners in the Cardboard Regatta.
The swashbuckling celebration continues on Little Cayman this weekend, with events set for 16-18 November, including an opening dance, fireworks, float parade, costume competition and a pirates farewell lunch. The annual festival kicked off on Cayman Brac 2-4 November, with activities including an opening party, float parade, fireworks and bonfire.
Below is a description of Grand Cayman events and winners:
The 2018 float parade competitors were asked to design and create a float that depicted the theme “Celebrating the Seas”. The floats were judged on their reference to the theme, use of locally significant materials and overall construction and execution of the design.
East End’s winning float
The parade is a community-based competition with an emphasis on the battle among District Heritage Committees. This year East End took home the winner’s trophy, which comes with bragging rights for the year and a cash prize of $1,000.
George Town came second, earning a $500 prize, and North Side earned third place and $250.
Highlighting the history and culture of the Cayman Islands, the District Heritage Days are judged on the committee’s ability to showcase the traditions of that district. The committees were judged on overall presentation, which included demonstrations of traditional craftwork, and organisation of the day’s events.
Bodden Town took the honours this year, followed by West Bay and then North Side.
For the District Heritage Ambassador costume competition, each committee elected a representative to participate. Members of the community worked together to create costumes that related to the theme “Celebrating the Seas”.
The winners were North Side, first place, represented by Jessica Ebanks; George Town, second, Roseanne Myles; and East End, third, Dea Ramoon, who also won Miss Ingenuitive.
The Pirates Week Song Competition had entrants entertaining the crowd as they performed original music. Matt Brown earned the first-place nod for his song, “Mutiny”, winning the top prize of $5,000.
Jah Mitch’s song, “Pirates Time”, an old-time calypso tune, gave him second place and $3,000. Erika Assai took third with her performance of the song “All I Have” for a prize of $2,000.
The Pirates Week Cardboard Regatta hosted two divisions this year: seniors (17 and up) and juniors (16 & under). The top three finishers in each division earned prizes as did and the “best sinking”.
The rules for this competition are that all vessels must be made out of corrugated cardboard, without any resin or wax-type coating found in packing cases, nor any floatation aids such as wood, metal, styrofoam or plastic. First prize was $1,000, second $500 and third $250.
In the juniors category, the winners were: first place, The Angry Pescatarians, from the grade 8 physics class at Cayman International school; second, Sister Salmon, grade 10 physics class at CIS, which also won best sinking; and third, CIS Inspires, grade 9 physics class at CIS.
In the Seniors category, the winners were: first, Ted’s Tool Box, from the Department of Planning; second, Dolphin Totem, from Dolphin Discovery and Dolphin Cove; and third, Pirates International Boat, from the Royal Cayman Islands Police Service. The best sinking honours went to The Curse of the Brac Pearl, The Pirates of the Royal Caribbean.
Category: Events
