Celebrating its 10 year anniversary with an impressive display of mangoes, the Antigua and Barbuda Mango Festival, will take place this Sunday and Monday in lush, green Christian Valley.

Organised by the Antigua and Barbuda Ministry of Tourism and The Ministry of Agriculture, The Antigua and Barbuda Mango Festival will run from 10 a.m. – 6 p.m. The festival will feature over 10 mango sellers, 7 agro-processors utilizing mangoes in pepper sauces, jams, and other products, more than 20 vendors, and mango eating competitions. There will be live music, hiking, mango plants on sale as well as a bounce castle and face painting for the children.

All the winners and participants in the Mango Pineapple Culinary Competition held earlier in July, will also receive their prizes and awards when the Mango Festival opens on Sunday.

Participating in the savoury competition, alongside 17 other competitors on July 11, was Rochelle Anthony, a 25 year old Sous Chef, who has been working at Sandals Grande Antigua for eight years. Anthony placed first in the competition with her winning dishes: Habenero Shrimp served with spiced glazed pineapples, avocado mousse, lemon, mango mojito and herb flowers, and a pastrami wrapped salmon, served with warm potato salad, pineapple melee, asparagus, carrot, beet puree and mango butter.

“This year promises to be bigger and better, than last year, said Caudley George, Chairman of the 2015 Mango Festival.

“Christian Valley is a hidden gem, and we are encouraging visitors in Antigua this summer to definitely come out to this naturally beautiful location for a unique festival and truly local experience”, said George.

He noted that a number of additions have been made for the 2015 event, including running the festival on a weekday for the first time.

George said that with Carnival festivities occurring this weekend, visitors searching for a day-time activity on Monday should embrace the Mango Festival.

“Invitations have also been extended to summer camps to bring their campers out on Monday to enjoy the festival as a field trip activity, and we have had an overwhelming amount of interest from camp counsellors.” Campers visiting the Mango Festival, will explore the mango orchards, participate in a variety of activities and learn about the linkages between agriculture and tourism.

For 2015, organisers have also re-introduced the agro-processing competition, for agro-processors marketing their products at the festival.

In addition to sampling mangoes at the festival, enjoying foods and ice-creams, there will be a variety of fruit trees from Christian Valley on sale, and a seminar on grafting. The savoury competition saw women taking home all the top awards. 30 year old Chef Naomi Thomas of Ana’s on the Beach Restaurant, one of only two restaurant entries in the competition, was awarded second place, while 22 year old Zariah Christopher a Cook 2 at Curtain Bluff placed third.

Galley Bay Chef, Chris-Ann Dover emerged the winning chef in the pastry competition held on July 12. The 23 year old, Pastry Cook 3 who has been at Galley Bay for five months impressed judges with a citrus Pina colada mango mousse, garnished with mango caviar, caramel popcorn, rum glazed pineapple and a mango pineapple flambé served in a chocolate basket.

In second place was Alicia Wilson, Prep Cook at Galley Bay, while Sandals Sous Chef Adrian Peters received the third place.

A park and ride service will be in operation at the entrance to the venue, at a fee of EC$3.

Admission to the family-friendly event is free. For more information visit: www.facebook.com/annualmangofest To register as a vendor or summer camp contact: 725- 3254