Spectators
encouraged to wear turtle-themed accessories

Community
groups and businesses on Grand Cayman are being invited to join in
the celebration of the start of another turtle nesting season this
May, by entering a float in this year’s Batabano parade on May 9,
2020.

The
Batabano float theme is “Islas Tortugas” and trophies will be
awarded for the top three floats, with the winning float named
“Batabano Float Of The Year”.

“It
has always been said that the word ‘Batabano’ means the tracks
that turtles leave in the sand when they go ashore to nest, so the
carnival is a celebration of the start of another turtle nesting
season in Cayman, which is also why Batabano has traditionally been
held at the beginning of May,” explained Batabano Chairperson,
Donna Myrie-Stephen. “We hope that the addition of a turtle-themed
float competition in the parade going forward will encourage local
groups and businesses to also join in the celebration, while
creatively raising awareness of turtle conservation in our islands.
It's also a great opportunity for businesses to promote their brands
while providing a great team-building initiative for their
employees.”

Mrs.
Myrie-Stephen said Batabano spectators are also encouraged to embrace
the celebration of the start of this year’s turtle nesting season
by donning turtle-themed accessories or green and brown colours for
Cayman’s two main turtle species, the Green Sea Turtle and the
Hawksbill, while out to watch the Batabano parade.

The
Batabano parade will be on Saturday May 9, 2020 starting at 1pm from
Public Beach, followed by a free street dance on Harbour Drive until
midnight, and the annual Batabano Food Festival.

Some
rules and restrictions apply for float entries. Interested groups and
businesses can get more information and register their 2020 Batabano
float, by emailing batabanocaymancarnival@gmail.com
or call or message Mrs. Myrie-Stephen on 916-1740.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

ABOUT
CAYMAN CARNIVAL BATABANO

Established
in 1983 by the Rotary Club of Grand Cayman, Cayman Carnival Batabano
is the National Carnival of the Cayman Islands. A salute to Cayman’s
turtling heritage, “Batabano” is the native name for tracks left
in the sand when sea turtles go ashore to nest, which has always been
cause for celebration in the Cayman Islands. From humble beginnings,
Cayman Carnival Batabano has grown from a small parade with homemade
costumes and floats, to an international tourism attraction with
hundreds of masqueraders donning professional costumes by local and
international designers, parading down West Bay Road just steps from
Cayman’s iconic Seven Mile Beach. A unique carnival that fuses
culture and the arts via creative costumes, Caribbean music, local
crafts, and a Food Festival worthy of the Culinary Capital of the
Caribbean, Batabano is symbolically held over the first two weekends
of May (including Junior Batabano) as part of the celebration and
awareness of the start of Turtle Nesting Season. Today, the
non-profit Cayman Carnival Batabano Board of Directors is proud to
use its platform to promote and support local turtle conservation
efforts in the Cayman Islands. Part-proceeds from Batabano
sponsorships will help support select turtle conservation initiatives
locally, made possible only through the financial contributions of
Cayman’s corporate community and the local Government. For more
details, visit www.caymancarnival.com
and follow www.facebook.com/batabanocayman,
www.instagram.com/caymancarnivalbatabano,
and www.twitter.com/batabano_cayman