Happenings

The greatly anticipated commencement of the Carubian Festival in San Nicolas has been delayed for the most part because of the time it is taking to complete work on custom tents for housing the many amenities the the weekly criollo event will offer. However, the organi zing committee is moving ahead with the hope to have everything ready for a Thursday, May 5 inaugural event.

It was Minister of Tourism, Transport & Labor, Otmar Oduber who conceptualized this weekly event as a way for island visitors to enjoy a taste of all Caribbean cultures while traveling no further than the east end of Aruba. San Nicolas inhabitants enjoy a unique mix of regional cultures, many of them second or third generation, whose parents or grandpa rents immigrated to Aruba to find work at the refinery or in a booming tourism industry. From one generation to the next, they have often maintained the cultural elements of music, dance, traditions and cuisine of their homelands.

San Nicolas has been going through a beautification process. For the weekly festival, the main street from CMB Bank to Charlie’s Bar will be a pedestrian walk lined with food and refreshment booths, handicraft shops and an organized art display, with a central stage featuring a number of performers providing insight into the music and dance of the various islands from which they or the pa rents originated.

De Palm Tours will be the principal retailer for the Carubian Festival, selling various packages that provide transport to and from resorts including entrance fee; Arubus will also provide either transport alone or package tickets including food and beverage, for island residents. Visitors to the festival can elect to purchase snacks and drinks on site, or have them included in their initial entry fee. It will be open every Thursday evening from 6:00 to 10:00 PM.

The President of the Carubian (a co-joining of Caribbean and Aruba) Festival Committee is Ramon Arrindell. Committee members are Carlyle de Coteau, Leo Barenos, Antoni Gario, Robby Brown, Glanda Tomasi, who will curate the art exhibits, and Deninah Martina, with Ruthlene Flemming acting as special P/R liaison with the Ministry of Tourism.

Interesting insights into San Nicolas life will be provided by representatives of the diverse denominations of churches as well as special interest groups such as sport unions and community centers. Local and time-tested “Bush Teas” that are not only refreshing but holistically healing will be on the menu, providing an authentic island experience for visitors to the festival. Visitors to the fair are encouraged to immerse themselves in the authentic regional ambiance; one shouldn’t be surprised to be invited to actively participate in a game of dominoes or learn how to play steel pan drums or perform the famously sensuous island dance moves that so delight audiences.

Story courtesy of The Morning News

Thursday April 7, 7 pm – Opening Souvenir Festival

Friday April 8, 2pm – Walking tour from the Ateliers ‘89

For more information: Ateliers ‘89, Domincanessenstreet 34, Oranjestad, Tel: 588 577 6 Mobile: 565 46 13

Ateliers ’89 will hold an extraordinary two-day Souvenir Festival beginning on April 7. The festival will not only showcase the artwork of participants of the last two workshops, but will also include international and/or national artists, students, designers, musicians, performers, investigators, writers and even cooks.

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The Archeological Museum, Historical Museum, Ateliers 89 (art gallery) and the exposition entitled “25 Years of the Banco Central of Aruba and our florin” at the Protestant Church in Oranjestad will open their doors on Flag Day. Attached is the cultural route that can be followed in the heart of Oranjestad to view all of these activities.

The exposition at the Archeological Museum is open from 10 am – 2 pm. Here you can learn about Amerindian history and pre-history through written information as well as artifacts and audio-visual exhibits. There is also a recreation of a “maloca” showing how Indians lived hundreds of years ago.

Afterwards, you can attend the money exposition open from 10 am – 4 pm at the Protestant Church located on Wilhelminastraat.

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