Hopes are high that this year’s Pirates Week Festival, which takes place next month, will be blessed with dry weather.
The festival, which usually takes place the end of October, has been moved down in the calendar this year and takes place from 9 – 19 November because of inclement weather for the past seven years or so.
‘Every year we are hoping for no rain,’ said Pirates Week Director Dave Martins. ‘After the disappointment of last year when events were rained out, if we get good weather this year the festival will be great.’
However, there has always been some rain during the festival because of it being held in October, the rainiest month of the year, said Mr. Martins.
Pirates’ Week was started in 1977 to give a boost to Cayman’s tourism industry during the off-season and has traditionally taken place in the last week of October.
For the past seven years there have been five partial or complete disruptions because of even more rain, thought to be brought about by global climate change.
‘It just became too much, so the Ministry of Tourism decided to change it,’ said Mr. Martins.
The decision came after a series of meetings with all those involved with the festival, from food vendors to musicians and with tourism partners such as hotels, airlines and travel agents.
Pirates Week pulls in a crowd of around 36,000 people over the 11 days of fun, with many of these people attending more than one function, Mr. Martins explained.
And this year, with it being held in November, when traditionally more tourists are on the island than October, there is the potential for even more attendees.
This year will see even more thrills and frills attached to the festivities.
One new feature is an individual pirate costume competition arranged into three groups: Adult; Junior and Tiny Tots. Sponsored by Home Gas, the prizes are $100 for first and $50 for second in each category. This new event takes place on Friday 10 November at 6pm at the South Terminal bandstand and participants can simply show up in costume with no need to pre-register.
Also new for this year will be laser effects that will shoot off Breezes by the Bay’s balcony, which are being brought in by Digicel for the first Friday and Saturday.
Main sponsor Digicel is also placing more decorations downtown.
Entertainment on a four-foot-high stage will take place at the Shedden Road and Harbour Drive junction right before the landing. Amongst the entertainment will be the North Side Kitchen Band, stilt walkers and dance group Flame.
While normally there is one visiting band, Digicel is bringing in a second one this year consisting of well known soca entertainers who will entertain Saturday, 18 November. The name of this band is to be announced shortly.
The visiting act that has already been named is Kes the Band from Trinidad, an offshoot from Imij & Co., which will perform the same mix of soca, reggae and other musical styles.
The fireworks will this year be back on the cargo terminal right over the water at Hog Sty Bay. Last year, because of construction complications, the fireworks were over the Royal Watler Terminal area, explained Mr. Martins.
International exposure to the event is also looking good. The Department of Tourism is pushing the event overseas, Mr. Martins said, and BET and Synergy, a TV company from Trinidad, will cover the event.
The Pirates Week Kick-off party is this year being held at the Wharf Restaurant with sponsors Vibe and Red Stripe also chipping in. The festive evening will feature live bands, fireworks, a pirate invasion from the sea, lots of giveaways and a costume competition.
When asked how the organisation of this year’s festival is going Mr. Martins says, ‘We’ve been doing this for seven years. We know how to do it. It’s a formula and it’s all well in hand’.
This year’s event will also be the usual combination of street dances, district days, landing pageant, float parade, fireworks show, festival queen costume competition, songfest, trial of the pirates, sports events and teenage and kids’ activities.
Check out www.piratesweekfestival.com or call the Pirates Week office at 949-5859.
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