Canada, France, and the U.S. all celebrate patriotic holidays in the month of July. And the Cayman Islands are no exception. Each year, on the first Monday of July, locals and visitors alike celebrate Constitution Day, a public holiday commemorating the islands’ first constitution which passed 60 years ago in 1959.
This year’s events will take place on July 1st and you can expect the entertainment to be fun for the whole family. Enjoy live music, food and drink vendors, or win prizes at crowd-favorite festival games. Kids can express themselves with arts and crafts projects or get their faces painted, and the whole family can enjoy the fireworks show which kicks off at 8:30 pm.
Here’s a little background on the festivities and what, exactly, is being celebrated:
History
The Cayman Islands have been governed by the British government since the 17th century and become a colony of Jamaica in 1863. However, when Jamaica declared independence from Britain in 1952, the Cayman Islands declared a desire to remain part of the British Empire instead. Their new constitution enacted that, and also gave Caymanian women the right to vote. So there’s a lot to celebrate this July and you can do so under sun and by the sea at Camana Bay’s Constitution Day celebration.
Culture
Celebrating Constitution Day will let you experience and celebrate rich Caymanian culture. Similar to Jamaican food, Caymanian food includes seafood like mahi-mahi and snapper, veggies, and tasty spices. Conch with lime juice or cooked in a chowder is a very popular.
Caymanian folk music, calypso, jazz, and reggae will also be on full display for family fun and dancing.
Shopping
Before the events kick off, Camana Bay offers shops and dining opportunities that are sure to get the fun started early. 3 Girls and a Kiln, for instance, is a local art collective offering ceramics, paintings, and upcycled repurposed gifts. Activ Angels is a one-stop shop for the active lifestyle, offering yoga apparel and accessories as well as athleisure. And the Bay Market offers gourmet organic, vegetarian, and vegan items, including produce and pantry essentials. And that’s just to name a few.
Camana Bay’s diverse selection of restaurants can satiate any shopper’s hunger, fueling you up to keep the souvenir scouting and shopping spree going.
Event Details
At the Camana Bay Crescent, expect to dance along to a life DJ from 6:30-9:30 pm and don’t forget to catch the fireworks show starting at 8:30 pm.