New management of the popular Oistins Fish Festival is promising a bigger, better event for 2019.
Businesswoman Toni Thorne, who takes over chairmanship of the festival from Herbie Yearwood, said while the three-day celebration will maintain the traditional activities there will be new initiatives.
After several years as lead organiser of the annual festival, Yearwood said Thorne was chosen to be his successor.
“She will be running the fish festival. Of course, we wanted to get somebody younger to do it for year, but because it is voluntary, nobody wanted to be involved as it is not something that people get paid for. She is accustomed to organising things and we thought it was a good fit, as no one else was interested,” he said.
Thorne told Barbados TODAY she was excited to chair the Easter weekend festival.
“Oistins is a definite cultural treasure of Barbados. The challenge ahead is to enhance the festival from a holistic point of view, thereby creating a sustainable model which benefits the Oistins community. I am fully confident in our committee, which comprises the more mature members and some newer members, who are executing a wonderful festival this year,” she said.
Thorne, who said she found ample time for the voluntary work despite running her businesses, promised that Barbadians who look forward to the greasy pole competition could continue to enjoy the event as that element of the festival has been maintained under the theme, Oistins: Reimagined.
“It will be Barbados’ first fully green festival. We have a new logo, new social media, film docu-series, zoned stall spaces which will include a spa zone, and a film competition and mobile cinema in partnership with the US Embassy, to name a few. All activities and events planned have been done in an effort to attract the entire family,” she said.
On Monday, the committee held a pre-festival teaser in the Oistins Bay Gardens, in conjunction with a film project that will be produced by VH1, Big Fish Productions LLC and 13 Degrees North Productions.
The pre-launch attracted the attention of singer Mya; rapper Lil Kim, whose given name is Kimberley Jones; and Chilli (Rozonda Thomas) from TLC, one of the bestselling girl groups of the 20th century. The American singers were specially invited to that event but will not be here for the festival itself.
“They had a wonderful time and stated that they were in love with Oistins and our paradise Barbados,” Thorne told Barbados TODAY.
“The event gave persons a taste of the plans ahead of the actual festival,” she added.
There will be an official festival launch closer to the April 19-22 event.
The Oistins Fish Festival was started by Lady St John, wife of late member of Parliament Sir Harold St John, in 1977.
The post Thorne new chairperson of fish festival appeared first on Barbados Today.
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