In this issue:

Grenada awaits: ‘Tie the knot’ in an unspoiled tropical paradise

• Visitors to the island must be residents for three days before applying for a marriage license.
• The marriage application process will take approximately two days, making a Monday arrival ideal for a Saturday wedding.
• Some hotels will make the necessary legal arrangements once the couple has arrived, and most include all legal fees in their rates.
• If legal fees are not included in the hotel’s rate, they can be covered for roughly $15 (CDN).

Required documentation from both parties includes valid passports, birth certificates, proof of divorce decree (if applicable), a Deed Poll (if a name has been changed), proof of single status (letter from clergy), and a death certificate (if either party is widowed). All documents must be written in English. No blood tests are required.For further information regarding current wedding specials and accommodations please visit www.grenadagrenadines.com and click on the wedding link.

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Come sail away at Grenada’s Round-the-Island Easter Regatta

April 13-16, 2006

After a 14-year hiatus, the Grenada Round-the-Island Easter Regatta was re-introduced to Grenada in 2005. For 2006, the action returns with promises of stiff competition and lots of fun. A new generation of young enthusiastic sailors has decided to sustain the revival by working to make this traditional race a genuine annual event.Ever since the opening of the channel into the St. George’s Lagoon in 1960, Grenada saw a growing number of pleasure boats anchoring in its yacht basin. On January 5th of 1969 the Grenada Yacht Club held its first annual Tall Yachts Race with 18 boats participating; making it one of the finest spectacles being held in the Caribbean at that time.The following year brought a steady stream of yachts of all sizes arriving in the basin to take part in the second annual then called, Round Grenada Race. Under the auspices of the West Indies Yachting Association, on January 4th 1970, The Grenada Yacht Club hosted the event with 33 entries, exceeding all expectations.This year’s Regatta promises to be an exciting event that will bring sailing enthusiasts together for an unforgettable four days of sailing and socializing.

For more information contact: Grenada South Coast Yacht Club 
Tel: 473 444-4662; Fax: 473 444-4677;
Email: boatyard@caribsurf.com
www.aroundgrenada.com

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Let your body succumb to the rhythms of the Carriacou Maroon Music Festival

April 28-30, 2006

On Grenada’s sister isles of Carriacou and Petite Martinique, maroons are age-old celebrations expressing appreciation for a productive harvest and petitioning success for the upcoming planting season. They are expressions of joy; feasts and celebrations whose sights, sounds and smells surround the cooking and sharing of food within each community. Each village has its own traditions, but the celebration and sharing of the harvest is the common thread that binds them all.

The pulsating beat of the Big Drum is the lifeblood of the maroon celebration. Dancers whirl and sing in the local patois, songs that recall their history and announce their future aspirations. The beating of the drums lifts the heart and cures the soul, beckoning all, to join the ring and succumb to the rhythms.

During the Maroon Music Festival, the past meets the future with traditional performances featuring the Big Drum Nation Dance, String Band Music, Shakespeare Mas, Quadrille and African Dance, integrating with the more modern sounds of Calypso, Reggae, Soul and Blues. Belair Park will be transformed into a festival village, with the canopy of trees giving a natural amphitheatre effect.

For more information contact: Carriacou Maroon Music Festival;
Tel: (473) 443-6555; www.grenadines.net/carriacou/maroonmusicfestival.html

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March to the beat of your own drummer at the

Grenada Drum Festival
May 5-7, 2006

Following recent successes, preparations are currently underway for Grenada’s 6th Annual Drum Festival - May 5-7.

Located in the northeastern region of Grenada, on the boundary between the parishes of St. Andrew and St. Patrick is the community of Tivoli. Renowned for its rich history in drumming, and home to the Tivoli Drummers, it became the natural birthplace of the Grenada Drum Festival, which features traditional drumming and dancing. Visitors and locals will also have the opportunity to sample and enjoy Grenadian dishes and delights and view local arts.

Founded in 1995 with the goal of spreading the Drum Culture, the Tivoli Drummers have developed a unique style of choreographed drumming that is not seen anywhere else.

The idea for the Grenada Drum Festival was born when Livingston Krumah Nelson, the Director of the Tivoli Drummers visited Guadeloupe in 2000 and witnessed the festival of the drums, referred to as Gwoka. The Drum Festival Committee was formed in January 2001, and the first Drum Festival was held with the following objectives to:

• Display traditional drumming, dancing and rituals surrounding the drums.

• Facilitate workshops in dance and drumming.

• Display the various types of drums.

• Showcase skilled drum players.

The Grenada Drum Festival is a great opportunity to observe and take part in the traditions of the Grenadian people and immerse yourself in Grenadian culture; so bring your dancing shoes and join in the celebration.

For more information contact: Livingston Nelson;
Tel: (473) 442-8890;
Mobile: (473) 409-1057;
Email: drumkrumah@caribsurf.com
www.spiceisle.com/drumkrumah

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Aquanauts and Beautiful Oceans team up to offer the
first scientific scuba diving experience in the Caribbean

Aquanauts, one of Grenada’s premier dive companies, has partnered with Beautiful Oceans to become the first Beautiful Oceans Science Dive & Snorkel Centre. Beautiful Oceans, a Montreal-based firm, offers coral reef science courses for recreational scuba divers and snorkelers. Their courses not only educate pupils on the behaviour of coral reef organisms, but also place a strong emphasis upon the importance of conserving the world’s coral reefs. Beautiful Oceans courses include a practical component where students are given the chance to examine coral reefs first-hand. This is where Aquanauts’ diving expertise comes in to play.

“Coral reef biology courses for snorkelers and divers are now available at Aquanauts and we look forward to welcoming guests to our tropical paradise,” said Aquanauts owner Peter Seupel. Aquanauts is now a certified Science Instructor Development Centre—the first in the Caribbean. Four of Aquanauts’ most experienced instructors are certified to teach Beautiful Oceans courses.

“We have dived many of the most popular sites in Grenada over the past month and everything we have seen confirms Grenada is an ideal location to take a Beautiful Oceans course,” says Ian Popple, VP Marine Science and Education for Beautiful Oceans. The coral reefs in Grenada teem with life, including many of the Caribbean’s most interesting species, like turtles, nurse sharks and octopuses. Situated on the picturesque south coast of Grenada, Aquanauts offers a relaxing cruise from over 40 outstanding dive sites.

For more information visit www.aquanautsgrenada.com and www.beautifuloceans.com

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