Pack your passports, rum lovers! A new rum festival is coming to the Caribbean island of Bonaire.
Bonaire Rum Week
Caribbean rum will be on full display during the Bonaire Rum Week running from June 14–17, 2022. Tourism Corporation Bonaire, the island’s tourism board, is teaming up with the Caribbean Journal to put on the inaugural event. The festival will feature cocktail competitions, rum tastings, and cigar events. The island’s locally-made rum — Rom Rincon — is the event’s host and will be featured heavily throughout the week.
An opening celebration will kick off the festivities on June 14, followed by a cocktail competition that will feature top bartenders. Guests will then take part in a rum-infused lunch before hitting up a room-inspired happy hour. The event will also have a multi-course meal with rum pairings and a cigar and rum pairing event, as well.
Bonaire Tourism
Tourism officials hope the rum festival will bring in new visitors to the island. Like many Caribbean countries, the worldwide COVID-19 pandemic hit tourism numbers over the last 2 years. The island hopes to bounce back by offering new events, as well as earning the Good Travel Guide “Virus-Aware Seal.” This exemplifies Bonaire’s commitment to health safety precautions for both employees and visitors.
About Bonaire
Bonaire is a Dutch-owned Caribbean island just east of Aruba. You can get there directly from a handful of U.S. cities by flying into Flamingo International Airport. Bonaire is known for excellent scuba diving, environmental conservation, and water sports such as boating, fishing, and kite surfing. In recent years, Bonaire has made a push to highlight its culinary delights. Local cuisine includes goat stew, local beans, spiced rice, and a specialty pancake made from sorghum meal.
Bonaire prides itself on being progressive when it comes to conservation, naming itself the world’s first-ever Blue Destination distinction. As a Blue Destination island, Bonaire commits itself to preserving marine life, enhanced safety and wellness, and cultural heritage, among other social and economic practices. Roughly 40 percent of the island uses clean energy and Bonaire is home to the first protected marine park in the Caribbean.
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