About 6,000 people came to Pond Bay, Virgin Gorda for music, food, drinks and fun to celebrate Christmas in July on Saturday, according to the event’s organisers.
The beach was crowded with people — many of whom arrived on boats that anchored in the bay — for the annual event hosted by the Puerto Rico-based boat broker Wally Castro Marine.
Nearly 600 boats, most of them from Puerto Rico, came throughout the day, estimated Thomas Dardet, a public relations specialist who represents the BVI Tourist Board in the Puerto Rican market.
“It’s really important [to] highlight to see how the event has transitioned, because the event was first started by these crazy Puerto Ricans,” Mr. Dardet said with a laugh. “And they did this event, and nobody really here knew what was happening. They didn’t know that Puerto Ricans were doing this. … But little by little, the event has grown so much, and it has impacted so many people, that now everybody in the BVI knows that it’s happening and that it’s important to the economy.”
(Photos: PROVIDED)
‘We’re a family’
Harmony Turnbull, the senior marketing manager for the BVITB, said many of the Puerto Ricans at the event have been coming to the territory for many years.
“Their children have been here, their grandchildren,” she said. “So it’s like a family. We’re a family.”
BVITB Deputy Director Natasha Chalwell said the event embraced businesses based in the Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico alike.
“We work very closely with our Puerto Rican guests and those businesses that, you know, are part of this event,” she said. “What I’ve really loved seeing throughout the years is that they’re bringing in more local businesses to participate.”
Reusable cups
Organisers sold reusable tumblers that attendees could purchase for $40 to enjoy unlimited drinks from various vendors. There were 4,000 tumblers for sale — 500 more than last year, according to Mr. Dardet.
But by the mid-afternoon, some attendees told the Beacon they were unable to purchase a tumbler because they had been sold out.
This is the third year the event has used the tumblers rather than serving drinks in disposable cups.
Amy Morrison, a marine biologist at Beyond the Reef, praised this approach.
“The fact that you have the reusable tumblers, obviously it’s a great marketing thing, but it’s also to stop so much trash going in the ocean,” she said.
Beach cleanup
BVITB representatives said that following the event, the beach would be as clean as it was before thousands visited on Saturday.
“Tomorrow afternoon, when you come by this beach, you won’t know anybody was ever here,” said BVITB Digital Media Manager James Kelley. “I mean, they got it covered.”
Ms. Turnbull nodded as Mr. Kelley spoke.
“They expedite the process; the barge comes; they leave the beach as pristine as they found it,” she said. “It’s just about respect. It’s amazing.”
Vendors
In addition to the drink vendors, various stalls sold food throughout the day.
Steakation owner Alexandra Durante said this was her business’s second year participating in the event.
“It’s really cool to see people enjoying our food, getting our name out there, and also just having a general really good day,” Ms. Durante said.
Vendors had to put up a $200 refundable deposit to ensure that they left their space as they found it, according to Ms. Durante.
