The British Virgin Islands is anticipating an exciting Anegada Lobster Festival over the weekend of 24th to 26th November. Now in its 11th year, the festival is projected to be bigger and better as patrons are welcomed to the British Virgin Island’s coral gem, the island of Anegada.
“We are excited about welcoming guests to this year’s Anegada Lobster Festival. Working with industry partners and government and statutory agency partners, we aim to make the experience more seamless from arrival, throughout the festival experience, right through to departure. We will soon be releasing our “flapbook” which will provide patrons with a guide to all things Lobster Festival, including a map, accommodations, marine and land transportation, attractions, restaurant menus, and reminders for a safe celebration,” said British Virgin Islands Director of Tourism Clive McCoy, as he extended an open invitation to all to attend.
New this year, is a Family Fun Day at the Anegada Recreation Grounds presented by the VI Recreation Trust. This exciting addition will include waterslides and pools, bouncy houses, and concession machines. The Family Fun Day takes place on 25th and 26th November and will not only provide entertainment for children visiting Anegada for the festival but also provide a weekend of fun activities for the children of Anegada. Other new enhancements include live music by leading local band Too Smooth, greeting all visitors arriving at the ferry dock, the popular Party Cycle and the Party Bus, providing shuttle service and excursions. To ensure a more seamless transportation system for the convenience of guests, the British Virgin Islands Tourist Board & Film Commission (BVITBFC) will be overseeing transportation service with an efficient schedule and routing system. Taxis will also be available for hire for private transfers.
The festival will kick off on Friday, 24th November, just after the US Thanksgiving Day holiday with an evening of food and entertainment at select restaurants around the island. This year, a record twelve restaurants on Anegada are eagerly waiting to welcome festivalgoers to the island, each featuring a lobster sampler at a cost of $10 in addition to their regular menus. The participating restaurants include two new eateries, Lil Bit and KG’s Café, while returning restaurants include Anegada Reef Hotel, Big Bamboo, Cow Wreck, Flash of Beauty, Lobster Trap, Pink Flamingo, Wonky Dog, Potter’s by the Sea, Sid’s at Pomato Point and Tipsy. The chefs of these establishments are busy preparing and innovating new recipes to present the delicious crustacean, like the crispy fried lobster with mango dip and lobster pizza, along with the tried-and-true favourites like the savoury lobster rolls and lobster patties.
Options are plentiful for getting to the island for the day or the entire weekend with the usual carte du jour of ferries and barges from the USVI, Tortola and Virgin Gorda. There will be musical entertainment in a carnival-like atmosphere among the participating restaurants, including evening entertainment to the delight of overnighting guests.
While on Anegada, guests are encouraged to take in the array of attractions and activities that are unique to Anegada, including the Flamingo Point Lookout, Conch Shell Mounds Lookout, Faulkner House Museum, Fisherman’s Wharf, the Iguana Headstart Facility and the most popular attraction, the Anegada Conchshell Mounds also known as Conch Island.
BVITBFC Events Manager Dirk Walters who along with his team are spearheading the organization of the Anegada Lobster Festival said, “We have exciting prizes for guests to the festival and the more restaurants you visit will give you a chance to enter the drawing for the grand prize of two roundtrip tickets between Miami and the British Virgin Islands on American Airlines. The prize will be subject to blackout dates. I wish all a safe and happy Anegada Lobster Festival!”
The Anegada Lobster Festival is produced by the British Virgin Islands Tourist Board & Film Commission, which works closely with Anegada businesses and the community as well as with many government and statutory agency partners including the Royal Virgin Islands Police Force, BVI Ports Authority, Customs and Immigration, BVI Health Services Authority, Virgin Islands Search And Rescue (VISAR), Department of Disaster Management, Public Health Department, and Environmental Health Department.