Residents and visitors had their pick among the festivities as they reclined on the shores of the sandy site, watched the Coconut Classic Culinary competition, the stage show or sampled a number of coconut dishes prepared by Pelican’s Point residents.
The annual event, known to boost business within the small eastern community, was declared open by Minister of Tourism, Obie Wilchcombe, in an official opening ceremony.
Minister Wilchcombe lauded the event as one that incorporated a “tourist component” where visitors could participate in local activities and experience native food.
The Coconut Festival, which Ministry of Tourism official Renamae Symonette said was internationally promoted, has earned itself a spot on the country’s national calendar.
A day of heroes as well, Bahamas National Spelling Bee second place winner, Raneisha Higgs, was honoured at the local festival. Miss Higgs, a fifth grade student of McLeans Town Primary School, was presented with a plaque in recognition of her outstanding achievement in the district and national Spelling Bees.
This year’s Coconut Festival was accentuated by more than one first-time event. In an act that, Ms. Symonette, called a “big thing,” coconut trees were planted at the festival’s coastline site during the opening ceremony.
With the community known for its abundance of coconut trees, the festival’s committee deemed the ecologically sensitive step an important one following the ravages of the past two hurricane seasons.
The coconut trees were planted by Minister Wilchcombe; MP for High Rock, Kenneth Russell; Chief Councilor for the East, Rev. Lawrence Laing; Executive Member of the Coconut Festival, Elvina Thomas- Bain; Rev. Leonard Laing and Festival founder, Cathy Laing. Shaquelle Laing planted a tree on behalf of her great- grandmother, Adella Laing, the community oldest member at over 100 years old.
The Coconut Culinary Classic was also a first for the annual festival. The coconut culinary competition featured the works of 15 chefs from Grand Bahama and New Providence. The chefs were challenged to prepare coconut dishes infused with indigenous food items on two-burner stoves in exactly one hour.
In the slotted hour, the competition’s first five chefs had produced such signature dishes as Coconut Harmony Grits, Coconut Peas Soup, Coconut
Fruit Salad, Coconut Curried Vegetables with Tropical Mango Salad, Coconut Bush Tea and Coconut Bread with Tamarind Glaze.
By: THEA RUTHERFORD, Freeport News Features Editor
