Arts & Culture

Over the weekend of Saturday, July 30th, San Pedro Town, Ambergris Caye was the epicenter of entertainment in the country after hosting one of the largest music festivals in Belize. The first edition of the Belize International Music and Food Festival held at the Honourable Louis Sylvestre Sporting Complex-Saca Chispas brought two days packed with food and the best of Belizean and international performers to the island.

On July 9, 2022, the National Institute of Culture and History (NICH) through the Museum of Belize and Houses of Culture, officially reopened the doors of the Corozal House of Culture (CHOC), after more than a year of closure.

Following the festivities held by the San Pedro Town Council (SPTC) over the weekend featuring the Miss San Pedro Pageant and performances involving international entertainers, the island’s Roman Catholic Church hosted their religious activities starting on Tuesday, June 28th with a youth vigil and concert. On Wednesday, the traditional fishermen’s mass was followed by a boat procession that ended on the lagoon side of the island, where Father Eduardo Montemayor prayed and blessed all the fishing vessels.

The San Pedro Town Council (SPTC) was reportedly overseeing the popular international Costa Maya Festival held every August on the island. Last month (May), Mayor Gualberto ‘Wally’ Nuñez said the acclaimed festivity would not take place this year; instead, making Dia de San Pedro the main highlight of the local summer celebrations. The reason was due to unforeseen difficulties hindering the organization of the mega event; thus, it was postponed until 2023. On Monday, June 20th, however, a press release from the Costa Maya Festival Committee announced that the festival would take place this year at a date to be later announced.

June 1, 2022, the National Celebrations Commission (NCC) held its inaugural meeting at the House of Culture in Belize City to plan the events which will form a part of the 2022 September Celebrations.

On Monday, May 23rd, the Belize Tourism Board (BTB) unveiled plans for a two-day international music and food festival, which aims to showcase local and international musical artists as well as Belize’s exceptional cuisine. The launch took place this morning at the Biltmore Plaza Hotel in Belize City and was attended by key players in the music industry, including well-known local artists and DJs.

The last time Houston, Texas-based artists Alex Roman Jr. (donkeeboy) and his mother Sylvia Roman (donkeemom) visited San Pedro Town was in November 2021, when they gifted La Isla Bonita with two colorful and unique murals. Both paintings beautify the exterior wall of a warehouse building on Seagrape Drive. Sylvia depicted the late Selena (Queen of Tejano Music), and Alex gave life to his masterpiece, the late American rapper and actor Tupac (2Pac) in Picasso-style. Months later, they returned to San Pedro and brought two additional artists. Together, they have added four more beautiful murals to the island, highlighting Belizean culture, creativity, pride and promoting hope, peace, and love.

The Programme Transcultura: Integrating Cuba, the Caribbean and the European Union through Culture and Creativity, implemented by UNESCO and funded by the European Union, has joined hands with the Goethe Institute and the Centre for InterAmerican Studies at the Bielefeld University in Berlin to strengthen the international market exposure of Caribbean hip-hop artists. To this end, it has launched a call to sponsor the participation of up to three music projects of the genre in the International Festival and Symposium "Re-inventing Europe from the Caribbean. Urban Cultures, Translocal Identities and Social Movements in the Black Atlantic", which will take place in Berlin, Germany, from 28 to 31 July 2022.