On Tuesday, May 20th, the San Pedro Town Sagebrush Church buzzed excitedly during the annual Belize District Festival of Arts. This beloved event highlights the creative talents of the island’s primary and secondary school students. Organized by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Science, and Technology through the Institute of Creative Arts and supported by the San Pedro Town Council, the festival offers students a platform to showcase their skills in drama, dance, music, and various other artistic forms.
The San Pedro edition of the Festival of Arts began at 10AM and continued until 1:30PM, drawing an enthusiastic crowd of residents eager to support their young performers. The event opened with a prayer by a student from New Horizon Seventh Day Adventist School, followed by the singing of the National Anthem by students from San Pedro Roman Catholic School. A welcome address was delivered by San Pedro Town Councilor Adaly Ayuso, who stated, “We are here to celebrate the creativity of our children through music, dance, and poetry. They get to express themselves and share their talents. The arts help our children grow, build confidence, and learn to appreciate our Belizean culture and history.” She also thanked teachers and parents for guiding and supporting the children.
Throughout the festival, audiences were treated to a wide range of performances from schools including San Pedro Roman Catholic School (SPRCS), Caye Caulker Roman Catholic School (CCRCS), New Horizon Seventh Day Adventist Primary (NHSDA), Ambergris Caye Elementary School (ACES), Isla Bonita Elementary School (IBES), San Pedro High School (SPHS), and the San Pedro Dance Academy (SPDA). These groups presented dances, songs, dramatic pieces, and poems exploring traditional and contemporary themes. In total, there were 27 unique performances.
Based on their scores, adjudicators Crysel Moro and John Raeburn evaluated each performance and assigned it to one of three categories—gold, Silver, or Bronze. At the end of the event, Odelia Caliz from the Ministry of Education, Culture, Science, and Technology received the results. Caliz and Mistress of Ceremonies Isaura Nuñez announced the results to the eager crowd.
Gold Awards: SPRCS – Life of Jesus (Drama); IBES – Mestizo Mystique (Drama); NHSDA – You Raise Me Up (Musical Performance); SPHS – Belizean Brukdown (Dance); SPHS – Mask of Zorro (Dance); SPHS – Young and Beautiful (Dance); SPRCS – Dandiya (Dance); SPRCS – Volare (Dance); SPRCS – Baile de los Machetes (Dance); ISES – Lebanese Dabke (Dance); ACES – Ocean (Performance); SPDA – Flare, Fun, Funk (Dance); SPRCS – Que Suenen Los Tambores (Dance); SPRCS – The Goodness of God (Dance); ACES – Ocean Eyes (Dance); SPHS – Where Have You Been (Dance).
Silver Awards: SPHS – Stay (Musical Performance); SPHS – Beyond the Surface (Poem); NHSDA – Thank God I Am Free (Musical Performance); SPRCS – Our Father (Drama); SPHS – No Time to Cry (Musical Performance); SPHS – Like Yourself (Dance); SPRCS – Carry Your Candle (Dance); SPHS – Kimbara (Dance); CCRSS – Sei Sei Bei (Dance); SPHS – Hips Don’t Lie (Dance).
The Festival of Arts in San Pedro is part of a nationwide tradition fostering artistic expression among Belizean youth since the 1950s. The event continues to nurture talent from the primary to the secondary level, instilling a lifelong appreciation for the arts and Belize’s rich cultural heritage.
