Events

Monday, April 28, 2008

Rincon Celebrates Queen’s Birthday with Dia Di Rincon

Wednesday, April 30, is a traditional holiday within the Dutch kingdom, when everyone celebrates the Queen’s birthday.  The village of Rincon on Bonaire goes one step further, offering Dia di Rincon, a street fair of gigantic proportions, offering food, drink, music, dancing, traditional costumes, and other festivities.

Starting early in the morning and continuing all day and into the wee hours, visitors will find a cornucopia of offerings showcasing Bonaire’s unique history and culture.  There are stalls offering food, drinks, and things to buy, and there are several stages where folkloric dance groups will perform during the day and live bands take over at night.  Simply meandering down Rincon’s main street will bring any visitor close to beautifully costumed dancers, singers, and other well known Rincon inhabitants.

In conjunction with the festivities, the Bonaire Bikers Club will hold their third Parade to Rincon.  Beginning at Captain Don’s Habitat, the bikers will make their way through Bonaire’s neighborhoods and end in Rincon.  This parade is to show the group’s support to the village of Rincon and to celebrate the importance of its people.

It should be noted that the following two days are national holidays as well, and many stores, banks, and other businesses will be closed.  (Source:  Bonaire Insider reporter and Bonaire Bikers Club)

Friday, April 25, 2008

First Annual Barracuda and Sedrebo International Open Water Swim Competition is June 1, 2008

The Bonaire Aquatics Club Barracudas and SEDREBO, the island sport federation, invite you to participate in the 1st Annual Open Water Swim Competition on Sunday June 1, 2008. The competition will take place along the shore of Bonaire’s main town of Kralendijk.

Race distances are 500m for ages 10 and under and 1.5km and 5km for 11 years through adults. Swimmers of all ability levels are welcome. Supporters can easily view the race course from the seaside promenade, so bring the whole family for a day of competition and fun.

An awards ceremony will be held afterwards at Kas di Regatta.  BBQ Lunch, snacks, and beverages will be available.  Musical entertainment will be offered along with a raffle with great prizes.  For additional information, click here.  (Source:  Barracuda Swim Club Bonaire)

Note Update April 29, 2008: We’ve just been informed that the date of June 1st will need to be postponed.  Plans call for the competition to be still held in the month of June, but the new date will be announced soon.  We’ll post it as soon as we hear. (Source:  Barracuda Swim Club Bonaire)

Monday, April 21, 2008

Roomer Hotel and Restaurant to Hold Mother’s Day Brunch

On Mother’s Day, Sunday, May 11, 2008, Roomer Hotel and Restaurant will hold a Sunday brunch around the pool at their property in Belnem. 

There will be an all-you-can-eat brunch buffet from 12:00 PM until 4:00 PM with live music from “Los Amigos” and a special guest.  The brunch buffet contains all locally prepared dishes from our chefs, Mylene and Shirley, with such favorites as goat stew, fish in creole sauce, etc.  Sweet tooths will be satisfied with a dessert selection of home made cakes.  Price is $25.00 per person (FL 44.50), and children under 5 are free, while those 5 through 12 years are at half price.  Reservations are required and can be made by calling 717-7488.  (Source:  Roomer Hotel & Restaurant)

Friday, April 18, 2008

Rotary Club Bonaire To Hold Annual Fundraiser Auction To Benefit the Breakfast in Schools Program

Last year, Bonaire’s Rotary Club held its first auction to benefit the Club’s community service programs, and especially it’s Breakfast in Schools project, which ensures that over 250 local children receive a healthy and nutritious breakfast each and every school day.  This year, the auction will be repeated on May 2nd, 2008 at 6:00 PM at the Caribbean Point Restaurant, Plaza Resort.

The auction is slated as being of “intense high speed and fun”; Rotary Club will be auctioning off “extravagant and extraordinary items.” Entertainment will be by Kaumati Thriller and the requested dress code is Tropical Elegance with a tropical hat.  Per person cost is FL 150.00 (USD $84.27), and includes beverages and a Caribbean buffet.  Tickets are available at It Rains Fishes and Sunbelt Realty, or call 785-0809 or 795-7835 for tickets. (Source:  Rotary Bonaire)

Monday, April 14, 2008

Bonaire Dive Into Summer is Planned Again for 2008

Tourism Corporation Bonaire together with event sponsors Scuba Diving Magazine, Continental Airlines, Coral Reef Alliance, EarthEcho International, and STINAPA are pleased to announce the program highlights for Bonaire Dive Into Summer 2008.  Taking place June 1 through September 30, 2008, Bonaire Dive Into Summer will be filled with exciting activities and interesting seminars for divers, adventurers, families, and sun-seekers.

The program for Bonaire Dive Into Summer offers visitors the flexibility to enjoy their planned vacation on-island, and as an added bonus, the option to take part in interactive dives and seminars, which practically guarantees a fun and educational vacation in Bonaire.  Additionally, visitors will be given the opportunity to participate in a summer-long ecology project which will reflect Bonaire’s position as a world leader in marine conservation and as a focal point destination for the International Year of the Reef.

As such, all of the summer activities in Bonaire will incorporate reef-friendly practices to increase awareness and understanding of coral reefs and to further conserve and manage valuable coral reef and associated ecosystems.  Activities already in place by local residents include decorating window displays in town with a reef theme, showcasing reef-themed artwork created by children in town throughout the year, and presenting special reef workshops for dive trade professionals.

Here’s a look at some of the showcase activities taking place during Bonaire Dive Into Summer 2008:

International Year of the Reef Week: June 21-28 – Sand Dollar Condominiums will host this week focusing on Bonaire’s role as a world leader in marine conservation.  The week will feature dives and seminars with Jan and Alexandra Cousteau of EarthEcho International; REEF fish count dives and snorkels with Bonaire’s own naturalist Jerry Ligon; interactive workshops with Rick MacPherson from the Coral Reef Alliance (CORAL), and a parade and food festival in the center of town at Wilhelmina Park.

Scuba Diving Magazine Week: July 19-26 – Join the staff of Scuba Diving magazine for a week of diving adventures with Executive Editor Keith Phillips, presentations and interactive dives with renowned photographer Steve Simonson, equipment demonstrations by Scuba Pro, dive trivia quizzes, and decompression happy hours.

Pro Kids World Freestyle Windsurfing Competition: July 27-August 3 – Be a spectator or participant at this exciting annual event by attending one of ten qualifying events in advance.  Event organizers are planning a week long windsurfing event that will be accompanied by island culture and fun.

Love Our Planet Week: September 20-27 – Captain Don’s Habitat is hosting this week for the second consecutive year, featuring dives and seminars with Philippe Cousteau from EarthEcho International, interactive seminars with experts from CORAL, photo workshops with Rick Sammon from ESPN Photo Safari, above and below water cleanups, and a festival in the center of town at Wilhelmina Park. 

Summer Long Photo Contest: June 1-September 30 - Compete for prizes with other Bonaire visitors by uploading your best photos taken in Bonaire between June 1 and September 30 to www.bonairediveintosummer.com, where a complete schedule of activities, information about the event, and hotel packages can be found.  (Source:  TCB-NY)

Friday, April 04, 2008

Second Quarterly Underwater Cleanup is Slated for Saturday, April 12, 2008

Dive Friends Bonaire and NetTech sponsor four underwater cleanups each year, one each quarter.  The second cleanup for this year will be in front of Dive Friends Hamlet location, at the north end of Hamlet Oasis.  It will take place on Saturday, April 12, 2008 at 1:00 PM. 

Everyone is invited, divers and non-divers alike, as shore personnel are also needed for help in counting and tracking trash which has been brought up.  Anyone interested in participating should meet at the Dive Friends Hamlet location on the ocean promenade at 1:00 PM on Saturday, April 12.  After a comprehensive briefing, divers and shore support will clean the shallow water and shoreline directly in front of that facility.

Those participating are invited back at 5:30 PM to Dive Friends Yellow Sub for a Potlock BBQ.  Entrees and drinks are provided by Dive Friends and NetTech, but please bring a small side dish to share with friends.

For more information about the cleanups, click here.  (Source:  Dive Friends Bonaire and NetTech)

Wednesday, April 02, 2008

Dive Friends Bonaire Holds Grand Opening Party at Dive Friends Dive Inn

Last evening, April 1st, Dive Friends Bonaire officially opened their fourth, and newest, location on Bonaire, at Dive Inn.  Celebrating with customers and friends from the island, managers Gerrie Fokke and Pascal de Meyer cut the ribbon and Dive Friends Dive Inn was born.

Dive Friends Bonaire now has locations at the Yellow Submarine facility on the north end of the oceanfront promenade, Hamlet Oasis at the north of the “hotel row”, Port Bonaire, across from the airport, and at Dive Inn, at the southern area of the oceanfront promenade.  Their customers can pick up or drop off tanks at any of their locations, making it very convenient for shore divers no matter where they plan to dive for the day.

Dive Friends Dive Inn continues today with a second-hand gear sale, and then tomorrow it will open for all dive business.

Images from the grand opening party are available on the Bonaire Insider Photo Gallery by clicking here.  (Source:  Bonaire Insider reporter)

Wednesday, March 26, 2008

Final Program is Announced for Bonaire Heineken Jazz Festival 2008

For the fourth consecutive year, the Bonaire Heineken Jazz Festival 2008 will be held from May 22 to 25, 2008 and it promises to be another huge success. 

The festival will be opened by the Lt. Governor on May 22 with a “Jazz and Poetry” presentation in Fort Oranje. The evening will start off with local “Poets and Musicians”, followed by the main act which will be presented by the well known Izaline Calister and her trio. Izaline will perform her personal musical style, which is a mixture of jazz and the music of her native Curacao.

The second evening, May 23, will be held at Plaza Resort and will start with the Bonaire Studentband, strengthened by other professional musicians from the Festival.  Last year this band “stole the show” with a fantastic performance.  After the Studentband, Frankie Yanga’s Quintet, “Footsteps Ahead”, will perform, with local percussionist Boy Janga and a Cuban saxophonist. The main act this evening will again be performed by Izaline Calister, this time with her full band of nine musicians.

The third evening will also be held at the Plaza Resort and will start with local band, the Jon Hilgers Blues Band, called Tin Foil. This performance will be followed by the Venezulean Jazz band Empatia, led by prize winning Pablo Gil, composer, saxophonist, and flutist.  The main act this third evening will be by Willie Martines with his “La Familia Sextet” playing “New York Style Latin Jazz.” Willie is a professional drummer, percussionist, and singer, and he and his band regularly play at the Lennox Lounge in New York City.

The fourth and final day of the Festival, May 25, will be held at the Divi Flamingo Resort with a Jazz Brunch where festival musicians and local jazz artists will hold a rousing jam session while guests can enjoy a wonderful lunch. Last year this jazz brunch was one of the highlights of the Festival.

Scott Katzev, a Philadelphia saxophonist whose family owns a home on Bonaire, will perform as guest soloist with several of the bands during the Festival, including the Studentband and Tin Foil.

During the Jazz Festival there will be an art exposition at Kas di Arte sponsored by the Bonaire Jazz Foundation. The exposition will open on May 21 at 5:00 PM with live jazz. The expositions on May 22 and 23 will also be accompanied by local jazz groups and guest players from 5:00 PM until 7:00 PM.

Starting times on Thursday, Friday and Saturday will be 7:30 PM and events will end around midnight. The Jazz brunch will start at 11:30 AM. Entrance fees are kept low due to generous sponsoring by many of Bonaire’s businesses. Entrance fee for the first evening at Fort Oranje with “Jazz and Poetry” will be NAFl 10.00 (USD $5.62) and for the main concerts on Friday and Saturday the entrance will cost NAFl 30.00 (USD $16.86) for each or NAFl 50.00 (USD $ 28.09) for both nights. A ticket to the Jazz Brunch will cost NAFl 45.00 (USD $25.00) and will include the buffet lunch.

The main sponsors for the Festival are Heineken, RE/MAX Bonaire Homes, Littman’s Jewelers, Rocargo, Maduro & Curiel’s Bank (Bonaire), Plaza Resort, Divi Flamingo Resort, Caribbean Laundry, Notaris Maartense, John Russel Insurance, MultiFunction Management, Playa Trading, and Telbo.  (Source:  Bonaire Jazz Foundation)

Tuesday, March 25, 2008

CIEE Lecture Tonight (Tuesday, March 25, 2008) Entitled Dolphin Societies, Mysteries and Puzzles

There has been a last-minute lecture scheduled for tonight, Tuesday, March 25th, 2008 at the CIEE Research Station Bonaire entitled Dolphin Societies:  Mysteries and Puzzles, presented by Dr. Daniela Maldini.

Dr. Maldini is on Bonaire this semester teaching a course in Marine Conservation Biology at CIEE; she specializes in marine mammals.

The lecture will begin at 7:30 PM, is free of cost, and everyone is welcome.  The CIEE Research Station is located at Kaya Gobernador Debrot 21, on the main road between Kralendijk and Harbour Village Resort, next to the Seaside Apartments.  (Source:  CIEE)

Wednesday, March 19, 2008

Sixth Annual Special Olympics Bonaire Walk-a-Thon Will Be Held March 30, 2008

Another fun, annual event, the Special Olympics Bonaire Walk-a-Thon garners more participants each year.  Both visitors who are on island on March 30th, as well as locals, can participate.

As in past years, the Walk-a-Thon will leave from the slaves huts in the south, and the course will be 30 kilometers, ending in Rincon.  Participants can walk, roller-blade, run, ride a bike, or cover the route in whatever manner they wish.  There will be a total of eight water stops en route.  It will begin at 5:00 AM and the entry fee is FL 25.00 (USD $14.04), and includes an event t-shirt and cap, as well as refreshments en route.  For additional information, contact Claire Sealy at 786-5454 or Chio Semeleer at (09) 540-6840.  (Source:  Special Olympics Bonaire)