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SEPTEMBER CELEBRATIONS! Organizer of Popular New Placencia Prepares to Swing Its Unique Charm into Belize's Patriotic Season Sept. 10: Battle of St. George's Caye Day
The crowds and the floats may not be as large as those seen at parades in Belize City and the bigger towns in the country, but having a unique backdrop of beach, lagoon and the Maya Mountains, coupled with a village life charm makes it worthwhile to spend the Belize September Celebrations in Placencia.
Watch (or join) villagers parade through the streets of Placencia Village behind simple floats playing patriotic songs & carrying the 20182019 Placencia Queen of the Bay Alyssa Faux! Parade begins at 10 a.m. at the pier Belize time, so no rush! Enjoy refreshments and watch the crowning of the new queen while you wait! The parade winds its way up to Atlantic Bank and returns to the Pier for a jump-up party! Wear flag colors! Decorate your golf carts and bicycles with red and blue! Wave the Belize flag!
Choose to participate in the Sept. 10 Battle of St. George's Caye Day activities that hearken British colonial nostalgia with pageantry and a polished tale of African slaves helping their masters fight the Spanish ships. You're bound to sense a feeling of paradoxical emotions as this is combined with nationalistic songs and plenty of flag waving and colors. Or, on Sept. 21, experience a Caribbean-inspired car-
See pages 10 and 11 for the rest of our Placencia September Celebrations Calendar Highlights!
(Photo by: LEEANN FAUX)
By JOLIE POLLARD
nival on Independence Day with explosive colors, wild and passionate soca music and raunchy revelry while celebrating Belize's birth as a nation in 1981.
brations wrap up Placencia style with a two-day fishing tournament on the weekend of the 22nd and 23rd complete with the Placencia Village Council Bar that will Energy and luck permitting, be raising money at all perhaps you can enjoy the September events for the party culture that permeates ongoing village sidewalk throughout the month! Cele- project.▪
York Festival Hosting Placencia Beach Party to Attract Belizean Diaspora
Hundreds of Belizean-Americans attend the annual New York Belize Caribbean Parkfest in Harlem for live music, food and family activities. A Placencia edition to be held on Sunday, Sept. 16 at the Godfrey family's beach property, aims to build a connection between "Bel-Ams" and their home country. (Photo: BUDDY BROWN) By JOLIE POLLARD
The chief organizer of the 30-year running “New York Belize Caribbean Parkfest" that attracts up to 5,000 people at a park in Harlem, New York during the U.S. Labour Day weekend, is extending the popular Belizean-American festival to Placencia Village with a "fun on the beach" edition. According to NY Parkfest Chief Executive Officer, Buddy Brown who has been running the festival for the past 15 years, he is expecting the free, one-day party to be held on Sunday, Sept. 16, to grow into the largest annual entertainment event in Belize. This is the first "Belizean American Reunion” event Brown is hosting in his homeland. The NY Park-
fest CEO is one of over 50,000 Belizeans living in the United States according to the most recent U.S. census. Brown said he planned the Placencia event to unite the large Belizean Diaspora with Belizeans at home. “We’re anticipating most of the Belizean-Americans to be visiting Placencia from New York, Chicago, California and Florida.” Brown, whose mother-inlaw is Placencia matriarch, Cunchie Villanueva, said he felt Placencia would be the best place to showcase the beauty of the country to Belizeans living abroad. “We also want to boost the local economy and tourism industry here. I do hope that the neighbouring villages take advantage and come See Belizean American Reunion on page 6
