BONBINI FESTIVAL: Bonbini means “Welcome!” in Papiamento, and this weekly folkloric music and dance festival is the perfect introduction to the warmth and hospitality of Aruba’s people. The Bonbini Festival takes place in downtown Oranjestad in the outdoor courtyard of Fort Zoutman, Aruba’s oldest building. Catch the flavor of the island, its history, people, music, and cuisine during this entertaining event held every Tuesday from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.
CARUBBIAN FESTIVAL: starting date to be announced. The Carubbian Festival takes place in San Nicolas every Thursday night from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m., showcasing the multicultural charms of Aruba’s “Sunrise City.” The center of activities is a stage area around which the audience can relax and enjoy a taste of delicious Aruban and Caribbean cuisine and a parade of local entertainers. Closed to traffic, the main street is a pedestrian mall filled with colorful booths selling food, handicrafts, and souvenirs, with fun activities for the whole family. Packages including round-trip transportation are sold at hotels.
Most people don’t realize that the hottest Caribbean tech conference is part of an Aruba October. If you keep tabs on technological developments, this is the conference to attend. Participants will have the opportunity to meet, see, and hear the next generation of tech game-changers and innovators who will gather at the Hilton Aruba Caribbean Resort and Casino on October 26-28. More than 1,000 people are expected to attend to interact with more than 50 speakers, 100 startups and 150 other companies from the world of tech. Find out all the details by just doing a Google search on “ATECH Aruba” to find the event’s website and Facebook page.
This triathlon event took place for the first time in 2016, but it has already become known as one the island’s premier sporting events, and it makes for an exciting Aruba October. Here are some the events included in this weekend of endurance challenges:
Half-Triathlon: A 1.9km swim followed by a 90km bicycle circuit followed by a 21km running segment.
Sprint Triathlon. A 750m swim followed by a 22.5km cycle and then a 7km run. This race can also be entered by both individuals and relay teams.
Paralympic Run/Walk. Aruba Aloe and COOLFM help organize this race with a 5 km Run/Walk for athletes who face their own physical challenges each and every day. It begins and ends at the Challenge Aruba Sport Expo in the parking lot of the Hyatt Regency on Saturday, October 21 at 6pm.
Kids Splash n’ Dash. This swim and run combination is for children and youth 7-14 years of age. Ages 7-10 will complete a 100m swim and 1k run while ages 11-14 will complete a 200m swim and 2k run. This race comes together on the beach at the Marriott & Ritz Carlton on Saturday, October 21 at 8am. Afterwards, families can enjoy a free pancake and sausage breakfast. A maximum of 200 participants can participate, and all of them will receive a DryFit T-shirt, a swimming cap and a medal.
These are just the main pieces of this wide-ranging sporting event. Google “Challenge Aruba” to find the event’s website and Facebook page to get all the details.
Aruba is fortunate to have a stunning selection of restaurants to give both residents and visitors plenty of options for any meal of the day. But an Aruba October brings a very special opportunity to enjoy true Aruban cuisine at many of them. Participating restaurants put together fixed-price lunch and dinner menus that are both affordable and focused on authentic Aruban dishes everyone will love. There are more than 65 participating restaurants this year offering a fixed price lunch for just $15. Fixed-price dinner menus are either $30 or $40 at participating restaurants. If you’d like to see the full listing of participating restaurants, just do a web search on “Eat Local Aruba Restaurant Month” and visit the website that is listed first.
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