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Holetown Festival Background
Holetown Festival:
In 1627, between February 17th and 20th, eighty (80) English
Settlers landed at what is known as Holetown aboard a ship
called the William and John . With them were ten (10) African
Slaves, who had been captured on the voyage. It is from this day
that Barbados became a British Colony.
The Holetown Festival, which commemorates this event, was the
brainchild of Alfred Pragnell, he along with Keith Simmons and
the members of Trents Northern Youth Group made up the committee
that planned the first festival in 1977, it originally took
place on the weekend nearest to these landing dates. It has
become so popular that it now takes place over an eight day
period, running from Sunday to Sunday.
Entertainment includes a variety of music, such as Gospel,
Classical, Tuk Band and Calypso, as well as Folk Dancing,
presented in free open-air concerts. There is also an Arts and
Craft Exhibition, a display called “Beating the Retreat”, by the
Barbados Defence Force and a Flood Lit Tattoo which is put on by
the Police and a parade of Vintage Motor Vehicles.
On the Saturday, there is a Street Fair, where Vendors’ Stalls
offer a wide cross section of Barbadian Arts and Crafts, as well
as local foods and beverages.
The festival has proved to be popular with tourists and locals
alike.
Holetown Monument- St. James:
On the forecourt of the Holetown Police Station, part of the
old James Fort, is the Holetown Monument, a simple obelisk. The
tercentenary of the “Rediscovery” of Barbados by Englishmen in
the Olive Blossom was erroneously celebrated in 1905. In fact,
the Olive Blossom (or “Olive”) came here in 1625, and perhaps a
“writer’s devil”, was repeated by subsequent historians.
Hence, lavish celebrations took place in November 1905, with the
issue of an Olive Blossom Stamp, a state procession to the
Garrison Savannah, the erection of the Holetown and INDIAN RIVER
MONUMENT, and a Regatta in Holetown Bay. |
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