Hundreds Support Clarendon Seafood Festival

Hundreds of residents turned up yesterday (July 26), to support the second staging of the Clarendon Crab and Seafood Festival, held at Vere Technical High School, in Hayes.
The event was organised by the Lionel Town Zone Committee, in collaboration with the Jamaica Cultural Development Commission (JCDC). It is part of the Independence celebrations being observed under the theme: ‘I Believe in Jamaica’.
Cultural Organiser for Clarendon, Matthew Lawrence, told JIS News that it was ideal to have the festival in that location, because of the thriving fishing industry at the Rocky Point Fishing Village, one of the major areas noted for freshly cooked seafood in Jamaica.
At the function, a variety of cooked seafood dishes was enjoyed by the patrons, including curried shrimps and lobsters, roast crab, conch and crab soup, grilled and garlic crabs. Additionally, there were fish eating and soup drinking competitions.
Mr. Lawrence said the event was held again this year because of the overwhelming support by patrons last year. “We did it last year and we got a good turn out and patrons loved it, so we tried it again,” he explained.
The Cultural Organiser said there are plans to make the festival an annual event. “We see the Seafood Crab Festival continuing in the years to come, as our core sponsors have increased their contributions. So next year it is going to be even bigger and better,” he added.
Deputy Chief Executive Officer at the GSB Co-operative Credit Union, Garfield Sang, told JIS News that one of the main reasons for sponsoring the event was to enhance the lives of the constituents.
“We cannot be in Clarendon and not contribute to the development of Clarendon itself and we consider this festival an integral development of the culture associated with Clarendon,” Mr. Sang said.
Some of the preliminary festival activities held in the parish included the Miss Clarendon Festival Queen Coronation; Evening of Excellence, showcasing the best of the Performing Arts; and the JCDC Performing and Visual Arts competitions.
Other major festival events scheduled to take place include the Emancipation/Independence Church Service; the Emancipation/Independence Forum; the Independence Day Flag-raising Ceremony; and the Independence Gala and Street Dance.