Crop Over Launch Venue Change Due to Hurricane Beryl: Details for Events in Bridgetown's Main Squares

Due to Hurricane Beryl’s passage earlier this week, the Digicel Ceremonial Delivery of the Last Canes and 50th Anniversary Tent will now take place at different venues in the centre of Bridgetown rather than the National Botanical Gardens.

Events will be in the main squares in The City – Golden Square Freedom Park, Independence Square and National Heroes Square – from 9 a.m.

Chief Executive Officer of the National Cultural Foundation (NCF) Carol Roberts made the announcement on Thursday at the Golden Square Freedom Park, as NCF teams and other stakeholders were putting the final touches in place for this weekend’s official start to the Crop Over season.

Roberts told the media that while the Botanical Gardens would have been an ideal location for the launch commemorating the 50th anniversary of Crop Over, the excessive rainfall from Hurricane Beryl, the expected large number of patrons and entertainers would have had a negative impact on that green space.

“We felt that due to the excessive rains and after consultation with the dendrologist Nigel Jones, that it would be best to not just reduce, but not put a footprint in the space at this time,” she explained. “We immediately thought of our beloved Bridgetown, and even though there would have been a number of challenges facing us in terms of lifting that blueprint that we would have created for the event at Botanical Gardens, we are very confident that we have been able to shift and place it quite neatly in the squares. From Saturday, as early as 9 o’clock, these three squares will come alive,” she said.

This year’s Crop Over launch will feature a variety of events, including cultural shows, demonstrations, and activities for all ages. Additionally, there will be a large number of vendors selling food, beverages, and locally made goods around The City.

The NCF chief said all Barbadians and visitors will have much to see during the launch.

“We really want the public to come out on Saturday to see things like the decorated cart parade [and] the Crop Over Promenade, which was an opportunity for us to dress up and literally promenade along Queen’s Park; that will return,” she said. “The costumes and the styling of the Crop Over Promenade and a very popular heritage character, which is the Mother Sally, have been reimagined. Local designer Wayne Smith will be reimagining the costumes and the fashion and the accessories of the Crop Over Promenade. Another local designer, Pauline Belamy will be dealing with the reimagined Mother Sally.”