“GOING COCONUTS AS COCO FEST RETURNS TO PEDRO ST. JAMES”

[Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands – February 9^th, 2021] The Tourism Attraction Board (TAB) and Pedro St. James invites the public to visit the national attraction this Saturday for the annual Coco Fest.

The annual festival now in its sixth year, brings together local cooks, craftsmen, artisans, and farmers, through a shared love for the Cayman coconut in a fun and interactive environment with something for the whole family to enjoy.

Funds raised from this year’s event are being allocated to the development of a wheelchair accessible walkway.

“The walkway will wind through the property, starting from the Courtyard area at the Visitors Centre, move past the succulent garden into the great lawn, ending up at the entrance of the Great House,” said Tourism Attraction Board Marketing Coordinator, Mona Meade.

Through Coco Fest, Pedro St. James provides an avenue for local small and micro-businesses to showcase their coconut-inspired products. The cottage industry vendors at the event have expanded to create all kinds of coconut-based products, with some part of the versatile coconut plant as the main ingredient.

“It is our motto to connect people with the heritage and by using traditional materials our vendors each year celebrate our culture in their creations,” she said.

“There is always a lot to see, from games and crafts made with the coconut husk to jewelry made from its shell or coconut candy and milk used in our traditional foods, this list goes on and on. Not to mention the coconuts correlation to good health, we are in love with the coconut and all the many wonders it beholds.” added Mrs. Meade.

Coco Fest will take place on Saturday 13^th February from 12:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. with the food court at the Courtyard entrance, while specialty items and art sales will be once again featured on the Great Lawn.

Visitors can expect to hear the sounds of DJ Natural, Pan N Riddim Steel Band, and Riddim Posse playing renditions of the best in Caribbean and pop music, while host Eden Hurlston – whose grandmother was the last known person to have been born in the Great House – will keep patrons abreast of what is on offer during the afternoon festivities.

Dance lovers can also catch performances by the Edna Moyle Primary School Quadrille Dancers, Radiance Dance Studio, and the Cayman Islands National Dance Company.

Another new addition to the event is the Youth Culinary Team who will be showing off their skills in cooking up something special for the visitors inside the Pedro Gazebo.

“With more than 30 vendors, an art sale at the Visual Arts Society Studio, a plant sale courtesy of the Queen Elizabeth II Botanic Park, crafts from our Cayman Craft Market vendors, cultural demonstrations, children’s activities, and some of the best local food you could ever find on island, Coco Fest 2021 is shaping up to be another great event for the entire family,” commented TAB Director, Patrick Thompson.

“I take this opportunity to thank our sponsors for their continued support. Some have been working with us from Coco Fest’s inception in 2016 and we not only welcome their partnership in encouraging small business growth but also their support in our efforts to raise funds for local charities over the years. This year we are especially grateful as funds raised will aid in the development of a much-needed wheelchair accessible walkway,” said Mr. Thompson.

Fidelity Bank (Cayman) Ltd. has returned as the main sponsor for Coco Fest for the third consecutive year.

“As one of the last remaining indigenous banks in the Cayman Islands, Fidelity is once again pleased to partner with the Tourism Attraction Board as the proud title sponsor of Coco Fest 2021,” explained Fidelity Bank Senior Business Process Analyst, Linval Johnson.

“In our ongoing quest to remain committed to our community, Fidelity is happy to play an active role in events such as Coco Fest, but more importantly, Fidelity is pleased to play its part in making a lasting contribution to preserving the heritage of the Cayman Islands,” added Mr. Johnson.

Pedro St. James is asking the public to make the most of the additional parking at Savannah Play Field and Cayman Islands Baptist Church. A courtesy bus will run back and forth to shuttle patrons to the admissions gate, social distancing protocols will be in effect with the RCIPS on hand to manage traffic flow along the Pedro Castle Road Corridor.

Admission is CI$5 for adults, and FREE for kids under 5. For more information, call 947-3329 or follow Pedro St. James Facebook and Instagram pages.

For information on Pedro St. James, location rentals and upcoming events contact Adriana Turner on [email protected] or call 947-3329 or email Mona Meade at [email protected] or 949-6999. <END>

The Cayman Islands Tourism Attraction Board (TAB) is responsible for managing the Queen Elizabeth II Botanic Park; the National Historic Site, Pedro St. James; the Cayman Craft Market and the Hell Geological Site. For information on the TAB or its agencies please email [email protected], call 949-6999 or visit the website www.tab.ky and its social media sites.

A heartfelt thank you to our sponsors:

Fidelity Bank Cayman Ltd.
Pepsi/CEL Distributors
Ministry of Culture
Ministry of Tourism
High Impact Media
Vigoro Nursery
Foster’s IGA
Grape Tree Café
One World Entertainment
It’s Your Party
Big Fish Radio
Department of Tourism
Visual Arts Society