PROVIDENCIALES, Turks and Caicos Islands – November 30, 2009
The Sixth Annual Turks and Caicos Conch Festival attracted record crowds of conch lovers and fun seekers to its scenic Blue Hills venue Saturday November 28. The event featured a variety of music, live entertainment, a celebrity appearance by world heavyweight boxing champ Michael Moorer, conch knocking and blowing contests and the showcase event – the restaurant conch-e-tition, which saw 25 restaurants compete and some new champions crowned in the competition to come up with the tastiest and most creative conch dishes.
The Saturday afternoon festivities were part of a weekend filled with events, including a special Conch Festival pre-party at The Somerset Friday evening that featured a special Jazz on the Lawn concert. Sunday morning, nearly 100 runners took the streets of Provo in the first annual Wrigthfully Fit Charity Run, with proceeds going to the Provo Children’s Home.
“It was a great Conch Festival and a great weekend. The weather cooperated, people showed up in record numbers, and we had tremendous support from all the restaurants, hotels and local businesses. It’s a true community event that we should all be proud of,” said Conch Festival president Mike Sottak. “The mix of people and the energy were both at an all time high, and it’s great to see the whole weekend really becoming a signature event for the Turks and Caicos for both tourists and residents.”
Entertainment highlights included the Haitian Brass Marching Band kicking of the festivities, followed by The Five Cays Under The Tree Ripsaw Band. An appearance by 3-time world heavyweight boxing champ Michael Moorer thrilled the crowds, and things reached a fever pitch during the conch knocking contest that pitted the island’s best conch fishermen in a head to head battle. Tanker’s Junk-a-Noo then thrilled the on-lookers as they danced merrily in the streets of Blue Hills as the sun set.
Read more about the Conch Festival here at the Conch Festival News site.
