Celebrations Saba Day

The Daily Herald writes that the island is preparing for the 38th anniversary of Saba Day with an array of events plastered on festive boards all over the island.

Festivities will start on the Saba Day, Friday, December 6, at 6:00am with joy bells ringing around the island. At 8:30am the public will be treated to a “Style Drum Band” demonstration by Saba Girls and Boys Sports Society.

The formal opening event will be on Friday, December 6, at Juancho Yrausquin Airport at 9:00am. The ceremony is designed to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the airport. The youth choir will sing solemnly the Saba anthem and the flag song and the members of the Fire Department will hoist the Saba flag and Saba Comprehensive School choir will also perform. This will be followed by official speeches, starting off with commissioner Bruce Zagers. There will be an interlude performance by Saba Danza Cultural Dance Group, followed by the Island Governor’s speech. Commissioner Christopher Johnson will hold the final official address of the ceremony, followed by another choir song. On this occasion the organisers plan a toast and the unveiling of a plaque naming the airport’s tower with the name of the commissioner responsible for aviation. There will be more youth dance performances and traditional music performed by “The Occasional Band” and “The Ebony Steel Orchestra.”

The public reception will end at 3:00pm. At 5:30pm the traditional “Captain’s Briefing” will take place at Deep End Restaurant in Fort Bay in preparation for the Annual Saba Day Wahoo Tournament. At 8:00pm, another cultural show begins at Princess Juliana Sports Field, featuring local performers, as well as “Impak band” from Aruba.

Saba’s brave fishermen will commence the Wahoo Tournament at midnight Saturday, December 7th. No participants will leave without first raising their spirits under the tournament’s motto, “For the love of the catch.” Should any lingering fishermen need “a little java fix before their departure” Deep End Bar & Restaurant will open for them at 1:30am.

At 9:00am, the Saba Day Weekend Booths will open to the public in Fort Bay. Also at 9:00am on Saturday, sporting activities organised for children will start at Johan Cruijff Court in The Bottom. These will end at noon.

At 11:00am, both Domino and Bellot Finals will take place at the harbour where local Disc Jockeys will start a noontime party. At 1:00pm, there will be a kite competition. At 2:00pm sporting activities will take place at Fort Bay. All boats will have to be back by 4:00pm, marking the end of the tournament. At 5:00pm the award for the winner of the Wahoo Tournament and all other awards will be handed out. Another party will follow in the harbour with music by Kolishon Band from St. Kitts and 4M Band from St. Maarten.

On Sunday, festivities will continue with a “pig fish catching tournament” starting at 6:00am, at the same time as the Saba Cross Walk from the parking lot of the Saba Tourism Department office to Captain L.A.I. Chance Pier. At 9:00am the Fort Bay booth will open again, as will the target shooting competition. A Domino tournament between Saba, St. Maarten and St. Eustatius is scheduled to start at 11:00am. At noon, local DJs will start the party again. A Paintball Tournament is scheduled to start at 1:30pm. At 2:30pm the Domino Award Ceremony will take place at Fort Bay. A number of other awards will be handed out at 6:00pm, followed by an evening party with invited banks and local DJs, a party that will last until midnight.