It was almost like Grand Kadooment day along the Spring Garden Highway, minus the bands, as thousands of people flocked to Pan Pun De Sand at the popular Brandons Beach yesterday.The event, which started promptly at 3 p.m., attracted hundreds of tourists and locals as they witnessed the sweet sounds and pulsating rhythm of pan music on the sand.Sea bathers were not left out. They too had the opportunity of enjoying the day’s proceedings while they swam.As the minutes went by the crowd grew larger and larger, making it almost difficult to move about freely. Scores of vendors plied their trade as hundreds of patrons danced to the attractive rhythms of the pan music from local and regional pan players.Producer of the event, Karen Pestaina, said last year there were more than 8 000 people and she expected more this year since there was a “restructuring” of the area. She said preparations of the location started last Tuesday.“We want the sea bathers to enjoy the pan while they swim. This year we restructure the whole event so it gave us more length that more people can come and enjoy . . . It keeps growing. So we needed to give more space so that people can come and enjoy. People were down here from 12 p.m. It has been going great,” she said.Pestaina said that while it was not a premier event on the calendar, it was one of the “greatest” events and she had no challenges this year. The festival and event planner also noted that a number of regional pan players were introduced.The crowd joined in the action as La Harquetta Pan Groove (LH Pan Groove) out of Trinidad moved through the audience engaging many as they performed a number of popular soca and calypso hits.Security was not a problem as members of the Barbados Police Force, marshals and other law enforcement officers were present.Pestaina said she hoped theevent would get event bigger in years to come.“What I have planned for next year is that the sea will be lined with catamarans. We may make a sea sport area and have jet skis. It is a true beach and sand event,” said the festival planner. (MM)
