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Oil Down Festival Was An Extra Special Treat: Another Success For The Spice Island Cultural Day Association

The St. Patrick Parish exhibit which won First Prize. Photo credit: R&G Media Vision.

Oil Down Festival Was An Extra Special Treat: Another Success For The Spice Island Cultural Day Association

MONTREAL, Quebec October 22, 2018 — Those who didn’t attend the Spice Island Cultural Day Association’s Second Annual Oil Down Festival in Montreal, on September 29, missed a great treat.

With over 300 in attendance, many attired in red, yellow and green — the colours of Grenada’s flag — the venue, Le Manoir, was awash with excitement, vivid colour, enchanting smells and great food.

Two members of the St. David team selling "oil down". Photo credit: R&G Media Vision.

Two members of the St. David team selling “oil down”. Photo credit: R&G Media Vision.

This year each of the six Parishes in Grenada and its sister islands, Carriacou and Petite Martinique, were represented by the various teams, showcasing what makes their respective parishes stands out.

Famous places and people, from the Parishes, were highlighted and, of course, “Oil Down” — a stew of breadfruit, salted meat or chicken, coconut milk and spices, that is the national dish of Grenada — was in abundance.

The "oil down" competition participants. Photo credit: R 7 G Media Vision.

The “oil down” competition participants. Photo credit: R 7 G Media Vision.

Wonderful creativity won the Parish of St. Patrick the prize for the Best Decorated Parish.

With live banana trees, a replica of Bathway Beach, the original coal pot and iron, Rivers Rum and much more, the St. Patrick Team (Sharon Benoit, Hazel-Ann Cato-Perry, Herla Osias, Angela James, Miranda and the many volunteers who worked in the booth) demonstrating great team effort, deserved the top prize.

The Parish of St. George team of Claudine Strachan, Sharon Baptiste and Hillary Cruickshank, took second place. Photo credit: R&G Media Vision.

The Parish of St. George team of Claudine Strachan, Sharon Baptiste and Hillary Cruickshank, took second place. Photo credit: R&G Media Vision.

The Parish of St. George team (Claudine Strachan, Sharon Baptiste and Hillary Cruickshank) took second place; and Team St. Andrew, which consisted of Janice Ann Farray, Cloe Henwood and Valerie Gordon-Williams, came in third.

“All the participants did an exceptional job. Every Parish was represented, on stage, by team members, who gave vivid descriptions of their Parishes,” the Association said in a media release.

“Thanks so much to everyone who participated in decorating their Parishes, with such pride and dedication and to all the volunteers, Committee Members, M.C.’s Gemma Raeburn-Baynes and Lennox Antoine, of Island Flava Restaurant in Ottawa, and the hard working Judges,” it added.

Two members of the St. Andrew team: Janice Ann Farray and Valerie Gordon-Williams. Photo credit: R & G Media Vision.

Two members of the St. Andrew team: Janice Ann Farray and Valerie Gordon-Williams. Photo credit: R & G Media Vision.

The participants, who competed for the best tasting Oil Down, Soup and boil Corn prizes, were: Leo Charles of Greenz Restaurant for Carriacou & Petite Martinique; Leroy Guillame of Island Pride Restaurant for St. John; Leroy, Shevron and Kelson of Team Greenz for St. Andrew; Hazel Ann Cato for St. Patrick; Dean and Donlayn Campbell for St. Mark; Ann-Marie and Barry Stewart for St. David; Yolanda Campbell for St. George; John Noel for the cow heel soup; and Gary (Smitty) Smith for the boil corn.

Entertainment for the event was provided by Deejays, 20, Percy, Kello, Fireblaze and Babo; and stirring up the crowd and getting everyone on their feet was The Sexy Chocolate Band, featuring Delta Antoine, backed by Jenny Noel; and closing off the show was The Doggies.

The Spice Island Cultural Day Association’s next event will be its “Spice Island Christmas Breakfast” in December.


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