Fireball and “burning man

Some doomsayers would say, “same old, same old Trellis Bay New Year’s activities”, but it would be difficult to convince the hundreds who flocked the beach front to watch the clock tick down to 2008.

For the young and the young at heart, Trellis Bay provided activities for everyone as it once again lived up to the hype and expectations.

For one, there was no star-studded line up of entertainers and performers, but who complained as “Tanny & The Boys String Band” from St. Maarten, and Show Time band soothed a section of the crowd, most of whom were just sitting around the beach.

For others who wanted to gyrate and beat up the sand with their dancing feet, DJ Jamie along with other DJs kept the waist lines swinging with a range of disco, hip-hop, soft rock and reggae music.

All that before the clock struck 12. As midnight drew closer, several patrons gathered under the digital clock specially mounted to keep a tab on time.

“5…4…3…2…1…Happy New Year, the party has just started,” one of the DJs rumbled over the sound system.

Hugs and kisses flowed at midnight as friends and relatives embraced each other in a wild wave of excitement.

I too was hit by that wave and although I was out alone focused on capturing the moment, I was inundated by a number of hugs and smacks.

Indeed the party had just started.

Seconds into the New Year, fireworks in various colours filled the dark-starry skies.

As if that were not enough to end the sideshow with a bang, most scurried away from the bar to witness the cultural part of the Trellis Bay experience as three fireballs and the “burning man” were lit up on the water edge, over-heating an already warm party atmosphere. Then the “Moko Jumbies”– men on stilts – who literally stood tall with their act as they pranced around the fireballs, teased hundreds of tourists by walking over their heads.

As the fire burnt, the party continued and most revelers tended to gravitate to the main bar perfectly set up close to the sound system and the dancing area. Long after the fire had burned out on 2007 and the fireballs at the edge of the beach, the dancing and drinks just would not stop, until sometime after 4:30 a.m., the DJ slowed down the tempo with some reggae music.

Eventually the tempo died, the crowd dispersed and the curtains came down on the 2008 New Year’s festivities, but Trellis Bay remained as a welcoming ground for another New Year’s party.

Will you be there? 

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