Friday came a night early to Oistins, Christ Church, on Thursday as the Barbados Food and Rum Festival kicked off.
The annual four-day event, described as “the ultimate foodie dream weekend”, began with Oistins Under the Stars. If one did not know which day it was, one would be tempted to think it was Friday night, which is typically when Oistins comes alive. However, it was indeed Thursday and Barbados’ smallest town was busy and booming.
Hundreds of people came out for the free event, filling the streets. As such, vehicular traffic was banned from the area, causing gridlock on the roads around Oistins – Keizer Hill, Welches Road, Cane Vale Hill, Pegwell Hill, Maxwell and Thornbury Hill – as police officers and barricades guided motorists away from the throng of activity, unless they were parking at the designated area of the Granny’s car park.
As per the description, it was a night for foodies as pit masters grilled fish with high flames. Scents to tantalise the taste buds wafted through the air as smoke from the many grills curled into the night. There were also other street foods and rum cocktails to keep the patrons happy. Lines stretched the length of the sidewalk at the Oistins Bay Gardens as patrons waited patiently for the delicacies on offer.
It was not just a night for good eats, however, as deejays and live entertainment kept people moving to work off a bit of the food they ate. In addition, masqueraders dressed in Barbados’ national colours paraded in the streets, featuring shaggy bears, green monkeys, stilt walkers, steel donkeys and steel pan.
Visitors and locals enjoyed the vibrant annual street party and culinary celebration. The Barbados Food and Rum Festival ends today with the Liquid Gold Feast. (CA)