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Shari Williams
"The entire reason behind the festival is to honor the 14 men from Flowers Bank. History tells us that there were 14 men from Belize River Valley who made the deciding factor in whether we were going to run and hide or whether we were going to stay and fight for the battle of St. George's Caye during the battle of St George's Caye."

"The entire festival is honor these 14 men, but in addition to that we wanted to foster an appreciation for the people of the Belize River Valley area as well as to learn about how the river has contributed and carved Belize as a nation. The highlight this year is the opening of a new exhibit. It's a permanent exhibit that is going to be along the river valley but they are going to officially launched it this weekend."

"The exhibit is going to be place right along the river valley, so you can enjoy the river while learning about it. The exhibit is called "The river and its people" and it include exhibit about the Mayas, the chicle factory and the Mahogany factory as well as old means of transportation along the river like the pit pan dorey and other stuff like that."

"We are encouraging people to come out."

Clinton Rhaburn, Chairman - Flowers Bank
"We are trying to make it bigger and brighter. The official opening will start at 10. NICH is assisting us to put up a display, so we have a display that we will be opening. Going towards the rest of the day we will be having cricket and after cricket we will have softball and after that we will be having lime and spoon, sack race and stuff like these - traditional stuff."

"Sunday, we will be having dorey and canoe race and football game. So we have a full weekend for everyone to come. If you can't make it on Saturday then probably you can make it on Sunday."

The event will begin around 10 Saturday morning and continue all weekend.

Channel 7

Flowers Bank Festival will be awesome

The festival promises to be fun for the entire family; but it is also an educational event. Rhaburn is especially inviting students to attend and win prizes for answering questions about Flowers Bank and its history. And, through a partnership with the Institute for Social and Cultural Research, an important exhibit is also being launched at this year's festival. According to NICH Communications Officer, Shari Williams, the aim is to offer a greater appreciation for the people of the Belize River Valley and they role they played in Belize's history.

Shari Williams, Communications Officer, NICH

Shari Williams

"This weekend, besides all the festivities, we're launching a very important exhibit called The River and its People. The exhibit includes stuff like the Mahogany Trade, stuff from the chicle trade as well as means of transportation down the river; for example, the pit pan dories and all the other stuff that people back in the past sued to use to travel on the river. The entire festivities are to honor the fourteen men, the Flowers Bank fourteen. History tells us that it was fourteen men from the Belize River Valley who tipped the scales in deciding whether or not we were going to run or we were going to stay and fight during the battle of St. George's Caye. So the entire festival is to show some form of appreciation for these fourteen men. The entire exhibit, I understand, is right along the Belize River Valley so you can learn about the Valley while actually enjoying the river. We brought out eight students to study the history of the river so it's right in line with the Social Studies curriculum. So if you’re not able to make it this weekend, we also want to extend an invitation to teachers and schools out there to bring out your children to the Flowers Bank area to view the exhibit and to appreciate the Belize River Valley and its people."

Delahnie Bain

"So how long will this exhibit be there?"

Shari Williams

"The exhibit is a permanent exhibit. It's always going to be there but this weekend is the first time we're launching it and opening it to the public."

A bus will leave from Pound Yard at nine in the morning and return between seven and eight o’clock to transport persons to the festival for free.

Channel 5

Do you know the Flowers Bank fourteen (14)?

Elsewhere in the valley, a grand festival is held annually in Flowers Bank Village to celebrate fourteen men who changed the course of Belize's history. On June first 1797, the men swayed a vote to stay and fight for Belize and have become known as the Flowers Bank fourteen. So this weekend, all the fun family activities you can think of, will be taking place at the two day festival in the village. Whether you want to participate or enjoy from the sidelines, Flowers Bank is the place to be this weekend. News Five caught up with the village chairman in Belize City today and he told us about what they have planned.

Clinton Rhaburn, Chairman, Flowers Bank Village

Clinton Rhaburn

"So for this weekend we are having the fourth anniversary, which we try every time to see if we can make it bigger and brighter. Well, this is the fourth one and it's the first experience that we have so much rain in May. But we are not afraid and we're going through so we're inviting everybody to come still who want to come. So we'll be having the official opening at ten; the guest speaker will be Minister [Godwin] Hulse, there will be other speakers. After the official opening there will be cricket games if the weather permits us. There will be softball, lime and spoon, you know."

Shari Williams

Shari Williams, Communications Officer, NICH

"We're having a canoe race from Double Head Cabbage to Flowers Bank on Saturday as well as Saturday evening, we're having performances from the Gales Point Cultural Group; they will be performing the Sambai dance. If you're never seen it, this is your opportunity to come out and experience it."

Clinton Rhaburn

"We'll be also having a dance starting at nine until two with Youth Connection Band. We are trying to make it a little bigger by the first twenty-five couples that enter the hall will be able to get a drink of their choice from the bar. Then on Sunday we'll be having a canoe and dory race and probably football. So it's a big weekend in flowers Bank so we're inviting everyone to come out and support us."

Channel 5

Flowers Bank Festival this weekend

Flowers Bank Festival

The village of Flowers Bank will come alive this weekend as they celebrate their fourth annual fair. Communications officer at NICH, Shari Williams says that there is a strong reason behind this celebration.

The Chairman of Flowers Bank, Clinton Rhaburn, told Love News more about what you can expect at this weekend's fair.

Williams says that although the exhibit will open this weekend, it will be permanent so anyone who visits the village can delight themselves with a history of the river valley.

LOVETV