Bahamian Seafood and Wine Festival planned

Mon, May 10th 2010, 12:00 AM

In an effort to increase the average spending of visitors and to draw residents downtown, the Ministry of Tourism and the Downtown Nassau Partnership have organized and are promoting the Great Bahamian Seafood and Wine Festival.

"Downtown should have a vibrancy that extends its life beyond 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. with wide options of things to do, places to see and people to meet. The efforts of our government, the private sector and the broader community must all be aligned in order for us to tap the tremendous potential of the city," said Co-Chair of the Downtown Nassau Partnership (DNP) Charles Klonaris yesterday.

The DNP and the Ministry of Tourism launched the event at a news conference at the British Colonial Hilton Hotel.

The downtown area has often been criticized as being short on activities for tourists and residents. The issue is significant, as a large number of tourists visiting The Bahamas (two million) come through the Nassau Cruise Port.

"It is our hope that the festival will become a signature event of the Downtown Nassau Partnership and a catalyst for the promotion and production of exciting, authentic and relevant events in downtown Nassau," said Managing Director of the DNP Vaughn Roberts.

Fifteen restaurants will participate in restaurant week from May 22 to May 30. Participating restaurants will feature special three-course meals featuring Bahamian seafood.

On May 28, the official festival kickoff will take place at Jacaranda House on Parliament Street. Five hundred guests are expected for a night of food, entertainment, art exhibitions and a silent auction.

Festival day is set for May 29 on Junkanoo Beach east, which is west of the Hilton hotel.

A ceremonial sail past, a farmers market, culinary competitions, fish stations and education exhibits, are some of the activities organizers have planned.

"When we have two million cruise passengers sitting in the Port of Nassau over the course of a year, and an opportunity to draw them off and begin to spend more money in the community, (that) is what it is all about," said Tourism Minister Vincent Vanderpool-Wallace.

Click here to read more in The Nassau Guardian

 Sponsored Ads