Halloween: thrills, tales and sweets!
Every year, on 31 October, Halloween transforms the streets into a world filled with witches, ghosts, skeletons and illuminated pumpkins. Although often associated with the United States, this festival actually has its roots in Europe, in Celtic traditions dating back more than 2 000 years. Saint-Martin will once again be caught up in the orange-coloured excitement this year!
Halloween has its roots partly in Samhain, a festival celebrated notably in ancient Ireland… and which, over the centuries, has evolved through a blend of religious beliefs, cultural traditions and marketing. In the 19th century, Irish and Scottish immigrants helped to spread their traditions across North America. The celebrations gradually evolved into a popular festival, focusing more on fancy dress, games and get-togethers… but that’s not all!
Whilst many venues will be getting into the Halloween spirit from Friday onwards, several initiatives this year will be thinking outside the box, ensuring the festivities are enjoyable for adults and spooky enough for children.
Halloween through the lens of Caribbean tales and legends
As part of the 10th edition of Mois Kréyol, and a few days after International Creole Language and Culture Day, celebrated on 28 October, Halloween will take a slightly different turn this Saturday, 31 October. Meet at 8 pm on the Marigot seafront, near the fish market, for an evening dedicated to Caribbean tales and legends.
Non-Creole speakers need not worry – the stories will also be told in French! These are traditional tales that the older generation will no doubt already be familiar with, but which Teacher Samy will put his own spin on, with a narrative style that promises to shake things up. Without giving too much away, images will also accompany the stories, for the delight of the eyes but also for anyone whose hearing may not be as sharp as it once was.
The evening is free and is intended above all to be a friendly gathering, with soups on sale and a large cool box provided so that everyone can bring a drink to share with the other participants. A wonderful opportunity to rediscover the Caribbean’s oral heritage in a warm, and perhaps slightly mysterious, atmosphere…
When Halloween meets recycling!
The Wasteful Monster has a chest full of sweets… but it’s locked! To open it, the children will need to help Lyana and Bolette and earn six magic badges. This is an initiative by the Friendly Upcycling association, in partnership with Sandy Ground on the Move Insertion (SGOMI) in Sandy Ground, to raise children’s awareness of the importance of recycling in a fun and playful way. This Friday, 30 October, from 5.30 pm to 10 pm, children will join the recycling brigade to make sweet buckets from recycled materials, prepare the ‘second life’ magic potion and take part in six challenges – where they’ll have to solve puzzles – to win their badges.
There’ll be a short break, though, with a cartoon and a few surprises, before the sweet chest is opened. To ensure the spooky Halloween atmosphere is in full swing, children are expected to come dressed in their best fancy dress (bookings: 06 90 25 29 20).
And let’s not forget…
… the thrills of the Noctambule, for which race numbers will be handed out from 10.00 am to 1.00 pm on Saturday 31 October in the Galisbay car park. Please note, race numbers will not be handed out before the race. Only one person may collect the race numbers for their team or friends. The briefing will take place at 6.50 pm following a short 10-minute warm-up with Gymfit. The race will start at 7 pm at Bellevue… with water, a head torch and trainers compulsory, and a scary costume optional. Part of the Bellevue garden, right next to the Noctambule village, will be turned into a car park, but as spaces are limited, it’s best to carpool… The fair on the village square in Baie Orientale starts at 6 pm on Saturday evening. On the programme: a coconut shy, treasure hunt, candy-pong and sweets for children in fancy dress. Adults, meanwhile, can take part in the fancy dress competition and walk away with one of the prizes donated by the artisans of the BO Ti Marché association and the village’s restaurant owners.
