Fisherman’s festival catches party spirit

THE Fishermen’s Festival at Charlotteville has evolved into a popular, permanent fixture on Tobago’s annual calendar of events.

On Sunday, hundreds converged on the little fishing village on the island’s far north-east coast for a day of festivities. Among the large crowd were scores of “Charlottevillians” who now view the event as a sort of homecoming and plan their holidays to coincide with it.

Large pots bubbled in backyards throughout the village providing sumptuous local cuisine, while on the seafront a number of sporting activities held sway. Of course, a number of DJs proliferated the area and the dancing and feting spread over three days from Friday.

At the end of it all, 15-year-old Greedy Gray emerged winner of the traditional, old-fashioned raft race. “Cool Running,” out of Castara, piloted by Garvin Osmond and Austin Peters, copped the (large engine) boat race and Oro won the swimming race. The event came to a musically bubbling climax on Sunday with a giant party spread over several streets in the district.