With some 40 individual and group participants in original and colorful costumes, the almost mile-long parade was led by Moko Jumbies and a royal court of beauty queens past and present.
"The crowd lined the boardwalk in large numbers, and most restaurants did brisk business," noted LaBega. "But more importantly, St. Martin people came out to make it a memorable family outing with their children."
Noting that the St. Maarten Tourist Bureau came up with the idea of the Boardwalk Mas as a heritage event originating from the Tourism Master Plan (TourMap), LaBega added that it was very pleasing to see sometimes even three generations of the same family at the event.
"The Boardwalk Mas has exceeded our expectations this year and that is because the whole community has embraced it," she said. "The parade was a joy to see, and the performances on stage were simply excellent."
"I want to seize this opportunity to thank each and every participant and performer, parade manager Urmain Dormoy, coordinators, House of Nehesi Publishers, all our sponsors and especially the people of St. Martin who demonstrated that the Boardwalk Mas was about them and for them," LaBega concluded.
