The Cayman Islands will once again have representation at the Feria Juniana Carnival on Saturday 29th June, 2019 in San Pedro Sula, Honduras.
It has been over a decade since the delegation known simply as the “Cayman Islands Band” made its first appearance in the Honduras carnival circuit. First travelling to La Ceiba, the group gained popularity and began receiving invitations to attend other carnivals held in the outer cities of Honduras.
Griscela Ebanks, who along with her team has been arranging the trip for 16 years says carnival organizers for San Pedro Sula saw the Cayman Islands Band in La Ceiba and in an effort to grow their event, invited the delegation to attend.
“The Cayman Islands Band receives quite a bit of coverage on Live TV and in the past has even been highlighted online and in local newspapers for its unique blend of pirate and carnival characters. The exposure is vast nationally and internationally,” said Ms. Ebanks.
This is the fourth year Pirates Week General Manager Melanie McField will be attending. With Saturday’s Feria Juniana estimated to have around 400,000 spectators she explained the benefits of having a presence in the Central American Carnival.
“Latin America is a growing audience for our tourism product and with direct airlift to the area, we are seeing more interest in travel to the Cayman Islands reciprocated for Pirates Week and the local carnivals,” she said.
The 20-member delegation, which leaves Friday 28th June includes award winning costume designer Reba Dilbert, local pirates Darvin Ebanks, who captains the Bloody Bay Buccaneers; Orneil Galbraith, Captain of the Las Tortugas Pirate Krewe as well as Radio Cayman’s “DJ Silver Fox”, Paul Akal; Pirates Week Festival staff and other revelers.
Ms. Ebanks thanks supporters for their dedication over the years, “We have to take this opportunity to thank Deputy Premier, Hon. Moses Kirkconnell, Cayman Airways, Cayman Carnival Batabano, Pirates Week and of course Reba Dilbert for her work on costumes.” The Cayman Islands Band also made an appearance in this year’s Punta Cana Carnival in the Dominican Republic in February.
