Festival time for coconuts
(CNS Local Life): Pedro St James will be hosting the fourth annual Coco Fest this Saturday, 9 February, from 12pm to 6pm. This celebration of all things coconut is a grassroots event which began in 2016 to celebrate the Cayman coconut, a traditional staple in the Caymanian diet.
Set on the lawn of the Pedro St James Great House, the event gives vendors the opportunity to showcase their locally made coconut products in a “fun and interactive environment”, stated a press release from the Tourism Attraction Board (TAB), which manages the historic site.
“We are celebrating the relationship between Cayman’s traditions and our use of coconut through food, drink and other activities and we truly encourage visitors to take the opportunity to also enjoy exploring the Great House and the grounds of our national historic site,” said Pedro St James operations manager Debbie Bodden.
Visitors will get to see and sample an array of cottage industry goods including coconut-inspired food and drink, candy, games, artwork and health and beauty products, which often cannot be purchased in the stores, the TAB said in the release. There will also be an arts and crafts corner hosted by the Visual Arts Society, bouncy castles, face painting and balloon animals.
Each year this event assists a charity in raising funds as well as provides a forum for the organisation to meet with the public to discuss their needs. This year’s beneficiary is Meals on Wheels Cayman.
“We are actively working to increase the number of meals offered daily, particularly within the West Bay district. We are grateful to be the beneficiary this year at Coco Fest,” said Meals on Wheels General Manager Erin Bodden. “While celebrating the relationship between Cayman Islands traditions and our use of coconut through food drink and other activities, we look forward to educating attendees about how the proceeds will positively impact our elderly who are in need.”
Out of each $5 entry fee to Coco Fest (children 12 and under are free), $1 will go toward Meals on Wheels.
Cayman Spirits Company and Grace Coconut Water have also partnered to create a “Cocktail with Character” where sales of 1780 Rum (distilled for and sold exclusively at Pedro St James) and coconut water will also benefit the charity.
“The Grace donation was made to Pedro St James and since Cayman Spirits already works with the attraction through its Outpost Bar and Grill, it was a no-brainer,” said Mona Meade, TAB marketing coordinator. “The rum and coconut water drink will sell for $5 and $2 of those sales will go directly to help feed the elderly.”
Coco Fest will also feature artisan and cultural demonstrations, and a locally produced documentary that explains the benefits and uses of coconut and how it was a main part of the Cayman diet.
The award-winning film, The Bright Spot, will be screened in the Pedro St James theatre throughout the day. Produced and narrated by nutritionist Tamer Soliman and directed by local filmmaker Rob Tyler, the film takes viewers on a journey as they discover why coconut oil had lost its place in many Caymanian homes and inspires people to return to the healthy use of the traditional coconut oil, the release said.
Live entertainment will include local bands Little Magic, Back Beat Band and Pan n’ Riddim steel band. In addition, Isadora “Miss Issy” Ferrao will host a half hour kids sing along, and DJ Flex will round the evening out with top 40 and Caribbean favourites.
For more information contact Debbie Bodden on 947-3329 or call 949-6999 or email Mona Meade at marketing@tab.ky
Category: Culture
