The Anguilla Tourist Board (ATB) has announced that the Anguilla Summer Festival Committee and the Department of Youth and Culture have made the difficult decision to cancel the staging of Anguilla Summer Festival 2020. This follows on similar decisions made with regard to Extraordinary Eats!, the island’s premiere culinary celebration held in April; Anguilla LitFest, A Literary Jollification and the Round the Island Boat Race on Anguilla Day in May; and a month-long series of events in June, promoting relaxation, health and wellness on Anguilla.

These decisions have been taken in compliance with the global and national guidelines issued with the objective of mitigating and containing the COVID-19 pandemic. Anguilla has had just three (3) confirmed cases to date, with none currently pending, and no new cases reported within the past 28 days. All three individuals have fully recovered and have tested clear of the virus.

“We believe that rescheduling these events is the only responsible course of action to take,” said Donna A. Daniels-Banks, ATB Chairperson. “The health and safety of both our residents and our guests is always of paramount importance, and we take the principle of social distancing very seriously. Hosting large gatherings at this time is premature; we are confident that all our events will be bigger and even more spectacular next year, and we look forward to welcoming everyone to Anguilla to celebrate with us.”

The Anguilla Tourist Board is focused on the development and expansion of the island’s tourism product offerings, to fulfill the destination’s Beyond Extraordinary! brand promise. In 2019 the Destination Experience Unit launched five experiential pillars – Adventure, Extraordinary Eats, Spa and Wellness, Events and Culture and Romance – and created a series of corresponding events on island to market and promote these authentic experiences.

Planning for 2021 has already begun. Extraordinary Eats! will once again take place next April, expanded to a month-long event for “foodies” and culinary enthusiasts. From March to August the focus is on Events and Culture, with the iconic MoonSplash, LitFest, Anguilla Day and Summer Festival, which includes the popular Poker Run.

The month of June 2021 has been designated Health & Wellness Month, featuring the best wellness escape packages and spa services – that are uniquely Anguillian – yoga, healthy eating and much more.

The Fall months of September, October and November are intended to bring awareness to the Adventure Pillar, with new excursions and activities such as cave tours, sporting events, watersports, nature walks and more. The final pillar, Romance, will be highlighted in November from the 1^st to the 15^th, when all of Anguilla’s romantic getaway packages, weddings, honeymoon and one-of-a-kind assets will be showcased.

#rebuildingtravel