Eboe Town Festival Celebrates Culture and Community at Yabra Field and Isaiah Morter Square
The festival featured a day packed with engaging activities for all ages. Highlights included lime and spoon races and sack races organized by the Kriol Council, a kids’ corner sponsored by the Belize City Council, and an exciting youth emancipation football game hosted by the Yabra Football Club.
Art enthusiasts were treated to a stunning display of cultural pieces such as fly-brush and live drum making, as well as incredible wood sculptures by Carl Gordon and beautiful basketry.
Music lovers enjoyed performances from a line-up of talented artists including Sweet Pain Band, Lord Rhaburn, Boom and Chime, Kenny Gladden & The New Creation Band, Cocono Bwai, Harrison ‘Dawgie’ King, and more. The festival showcased the collaborative spirit and support within the brukdown community, with many artists singing backup and playing instruments for one another, creating a truly unified musical experience.
Families and friends gathered for a captivating concert by Brad Pattico and the Dah Soh Ih Goh Ensemble, providing entertainment and joy for all attendees.
The festival also featured a variety of delicious cultural food, such as rice and beans, steam flour, sweet treats from Belizean Sweets & Treats by Shayz & Shelz, and refreshing blackberry and cashew wine from Ruthy’s, and spicy pepper sauce from Sohnting Nice which had a unique blend of mango, dragon fruit, star fruit, pineapple, and habanero bases. It was a wonderful opportunity for the food vendors as they saw a lot of sales.
The NICH-Institute for Social and Cultural Research (NICH-ISCR), in partnership with the Belize Archives and Records Service and the University of Belize displayed a historical exhibit entitled “Emancipate!”.
The NICH-Museum of Belize (NICH-MOB) organized a series of Belize City Emancipation Heritage Tours in addition to tours of their “EnSLAVED” exhibition.
Our team at the NICH-Institute of Creative Arts (NICH-ICA) were the general coordinators of the festival in close collaboration with the Belize City Council and the National Celebrations Commission.
The organizers express their heartfelt thanks to everyone who attended and contributed to making this festival an unforgettable celebration of culture and community.
Written By Moriah Sutherland
NICH-ICA: Program Officer 1