Gros Islet Street Party

Gros Islet is the newest town in Saint Lucia, having been recently promoted from a village to a town. It is the location of the Darren Sammy National Cricket Stadium where both One Day International and Test Cricket is played. Parts of the 2007 Cricket World Cup and 2010 ICC World Twenty20 were played there. It is the administrative centre of the Gros Island Quarter, a region of Saint Lucia which includes the island's northernmost point, Cap Point and the notable Cap Estate, where the renowned St. Lucia Golf and Country Club is located. It lies north of Castries, the capital of Saint Lucia, and features the Friday Night Street Party which is its major tourist attraction. Also known as the jump-up, the Friday Night Street Party encompasses several blocks, which have to be informally cordoned off with the stalls of street vendors. Steamed fish, barbecue chicken and St. Lucia's own Piton beer can be purchased from these vendors. Music can be heard through the old fishing village, and locals and tourist both dance in a central cross section in the small streets to the sounds of calypso, zouk, reggae and R&B. The Rodney Bay Area further south differs greatly from the small, makeshift housing littering most of the town of Gros-Islet. Catering mostly to the tourism populace, the areas surrounding the marina contain shops, malls, restaurants and night clubs that fall on the higher end of the spectrum compared to other local enterprises. Land development costs in the Rodney Bay area are extremely high. The exclusive beach front properties have almost all been purchased by small and large hoteliers, and restaurateurs, frustrating locals who continually see access to the public beaches being blocked by large construction projects. The night life reveals several clubs all in close proximity vying for clientele. The historic Pigeon Island is a popular place for tourists because of it peacefulness and wildlife. A man made causeway connects it to the mainland.
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