A small fishing village in the northwest of Grenada has been receiving raves of its unique Friday Night celebration. Gouyave, famous for its aquaculture, paved way to the creation of Gouyave Fish Friday, where the streets are all lined up with an array of seafood and cutleryThere are also performances that showcase the town's culture with the heavy beating of steel drums.
Starting at 6 PM, locals and tourists alike flock to the streets of St. Francis and Chapel Lane for their fish quiche, BBQ, lambie, kebabs, and more. Paired with a sweet drink, fried cou cou or some roasts would make a nice meal with prices that range from $0.30 to $20.
Food tents alight in a small alley, but the crowd is unwaveringly high. Donning on light clothes and sandals, travelers joined the revelry up to 1 AM, dancing to Caribbean rhythms. The town's musicians are seemingly young with some are in high school or younger. Steel pan bands and tambourines are banged throughout the night, and even little children peeped out their windows to enjoy the merriment on the streets.
This rather "intimate get-together" was simply a local economic development initiative which has turned into a tourist's top experience. Traveler John Peltier stated on his blog, "The Gouyave Fish Friday Festival, maybe the hottest seafood festival in the Caribbean, and every single week of the year!"
Tourists have always said that it's pretty safe while walking around the streets of Gouyave. Despite the threat of drinking alcohol all night long, there have been pretty low cases of a rowdy crowd. Two or three policemen can be seen at each end of the streets to watch out for some naughtiness.
If you plan to visit Gouyave anytime soon, it's best for you to pack light clothing, slippers or shorts. All in all, if you want to immerse yourself in a culture, there's no better way to start than celebrating it with food, music, and drinks on a Friday night.
