On Thursday, April 3, and Friday, April 4, the BVI will have its chance to shine as the 53rd country to welcome the Glasgow 2014 Queen’s Baton Relay. Following a series of public relays through communities in Tortola, Jost Van Dyke and Virgin Gorda, the visit will conclude with a cultural showcase of the BVI and Scotland through music, dance and food at the H Lavity Stoutt Community College on Friday, April 4 from 6.00pm – 9.00pm.
A BBC film crew will be documenting the visit and all residents and visitors are encouraged to join in the relay legs and free activities organized to celebrate the Glasgow 2014 Queen’s Baton Relay.
The official opening ceremony will take place from 9:00am – 10:00am at the Noel Lloyd Positive Action Movement Park on Thursday, April 3 and will flow into the start of the relay through Road Town to the A.O. Shirley Recreation Ground.
The relay will then move to Capoon’s Bay at 11.30am and pass through to Carrot Bay and Cane Garden Bay where swimmers will escort the baton to the Police Launch for an afternoon relay in Great Harbour, Jost Van Dyke. The baton ends its Thursday tour at the BVI Spring Regatta, Nanny Cay marina at 4.00pm with a sail-by on the Tortola Sloop, Intrepid flanked by a fleet of Optimist sailors.
On Friday morning, the Queen’s Baton will start its relay in the Valley, Virgin Gorda with a welcome ceremony hosted by the Premier at 8.30am. The baton will then return to Trellis Bay at 4.30pm for its final leg through East End-Long Look culminating at the HLSCC with a closing ceremony and grand cultural finale.
Performers in the cultural presentation include BVI Elite Sky Dancers, Anasazi Dancers, BVI Heritage Dancers, Ms. Arliene Penn on Steel Pan, Razor Blades Fungi Band, Enis Adams Primary School Dancers, Adagio Dance School Dancers, and Scottish reel dancers.
The ‘Tastings under the Tent’ buffet style dinner is a culinary presentation of typical Scottish dishes and will follow on from the official closing ceremony. Traditional BVI drinks and treats are also expected to be on sale.
All of the events are open to the public. Tickets for the dinner are $15 each and can be purchased in advance at the HLSCC Book Store, Bella Blooms, CCT, and Sunny Caribbee. The local drinks and traditional treats also will be on sale.
The Glasgow 2014 Queen’s Baton Relay is the pre-cursor to the XX Commonwealth Games which will take place in Glasgow, Scotland this summer. The baton carries the message from Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. At the end of its journey, the message will be removed from the baton and will be read out loud to the competing athletes signaling the start of the XX Commonwealth Games.
