Under the theme Catch De Culture, the Oistins Fish Festival officially opened on Saturday evening with a vibrant parade that captured the essence of Barbadian culture.
Creating a spectacle for those who lined the streets, members of Dancin’ Africa donned costumes depicting the Oistins seascape, the Barbadian tradition of kite flying, and paid homage to the island’s fisherfolk as they performed to the rhythms of the Pompasetters Tuk Band.
Cadets from the Princess Margaret Secondary School opened the parade.
The energetic procession also featured cadets from the Princess Margaret Secondary School, members of the Haynesville Youth Group Landship, and cheerleading squads from both primary and secondary schools. These groups followed behind the music truck, delivering routines to the pulsating sounds of popular Crop Over tunes.
Reflecting on her visits to the area during her welcome remarks, Minister Shantal Munro-Knight said, “As I traverse the area in Oistins, one of the things that continuously strikes me is the number of cultural entrepreneurs that we have, that perhaps we need to give greater prominence to.”
She announced that within the next two months, the Division of Culture will have the first draft of a study undertaken to measure the impact of culture on the Barbadian economy.
She said a more in-depth study may be done to examine the full contribution of communities like Oistins, particularly traditional fisherfolk.
“Many of us know that Oistins is extremely historic, and perhaps we should look one day to do some research and to see whether or not we could also have Oistins named as part of the UNESCO Heritage Towns given the historic nature of Oistins,” she added.
Organising committee member Marissa Alleyne said, “Last year, we launched the theme ‘Catch de Culture’, a phrase that resonated so deeply with the spirit of this community that we felt compelled to carry it forward into 2025 and beyond. For us, ‘Catch de Culture’ isn’t a catchy tagline, it embodies the soul of the Oistins Fish Festival. It represents the fish, the people, the traditions, the vibrant culture of this fishing village and indeed, the essence of Barbados itself.”
She celebrated the participation of local entrepreneurs, noting, “We’re also proud to announce that over 150 vendors are participating in this year’s festival, offering food, crafts, services and experiences that are uniquely Barbadian.”
Focusing on expanding the festival’s visibility, Alleyne also shared new promotional efforts.
“This year also marks the bold leap in our efforts to showcase Oistins to the world. Through a strategic partnership with the Barbados Tourism Marketing Inc., we launched our first-ever Social Media Content Creator Challenge, inviting influencers to create dynamic content about the festival and our island. Alongside this, we collaborated with over 20 hotels to provide round-trip shuttle services to key events, moves we believe will boost visitor traffic to Oistins and increase the festival’s reach, not just for this weekend, but throughout the year.” (STT)
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