Mt Pleasant to hold maypole contest at April 10 sports and family day

FOR the first time in its 48-year history, the Carnbee/Mt Pleasant Village Council will host a maypole competition at its sports and family day at the Mt Pleasant Recreation Ground, Tobago, on April 10 – Easter Monday.

The maypole dance is a ceremonial folk dance performed around a tall pole, usually adorned with flowers and long strips of colourful ribbons.

The council’s assistant secretary Jean Scott-Henry said the novel event has already generated some interest.

She said two teams have already registered for the competition but the council is hoping to have at least ten. The preliminaries take place on Saturday.

This year, there will also be a greasy pole competition and tug-of-war for members of the protective services.

Scott-Henry said the council is planning a bumper event, which includes goat-racing, the popular Easter bonnet parade and a cultural show, featuring several well known entertainers from Tobago and further afield.

“We did not have sports for the last three years (owing to covid19), so we are trying to rejuvenate it,” she told Newsday.

Saying sponsorship has been challenging, Scott-Henry added, “We are trying to make it work and so we didn’t increase our entrance fees. Coming out of a pandemic, we left our prices so that everybody could afford.”

She said children aged two-12 will pay $20 and adults will pay $40 to access the grounds and $60 to sit in the covered stand. But if a child wants to go to the stand, he or she will have to also pay $60.

Scott-Henry said THA Buccoo/Mt Pleasant representative Sonny Craig and the council’s president Henry Smith are scheduled to deliver remarks from 2pm.

She said the athletic events, expected to begin at 11am, are being designed to include the entire family.

“We just want more people to come out and participate.”

Scott-Henry said on April 6 – Holy Thursday – the council plans to host a street parade through Scarborough, previewing some of its activities.

“So we will have some goats on the street, and children dressed in their bonnets.”

That activity takes place from 10am-2pm.

She said the council is planning a huge celebration for its 50th anniversary in 2025.