When the hot spots in Grand Cayman are mentioned, East End may not be the first location that springs to mind. In fact, ‘sleepy fishing village’ may be well ahead of ‘hot spot’. However, come Heroes’ Day long weekend, sleepy will be the last word associated with East End, as the East End Surf Challenge takes to the water and beaches of the Eastern Districts.

Although the Jetski racing will remain the signature event, the weekend will include numerous other events that celebrate the Cayman lifestyle, from concerts to that most traditional of foods, fish tea, all celebrated under the theme “Love is the Answer: One HEART, One LOVE, One LIFE”.

The weekend will launch with the Total Togetherness Kick Off Party on Friday 20 January. The event, which will take place at Club 7, will feature the talents of top local DJ Von, who along with Eternal Vibes from Miami will keep the music pumping into the early morning hours.

The evening will also see the racers who will battle it out at the Surf Challenge presented to the crowd so the fans can get up close with the racers.

On Sunday 22 January the action will hit the beach when the Gol Beach Football Tournament kicks off. The event, organised in conjunction with East End Football Club, will take place on Colliers Public Beach next to the Morritt’s Tortuga Club.

For those who have not experienced beach football before, it will be the perfect opportunity to see how Cayman’s football stars perform in a new environment. The uneven surface of the sand encourages keeping the ball airborne, while a guaranteed soft landing means that players are much more confident when it comes to attempting bicycle kicks and the like, making it a spectacle to behold.

The main event hits the water, and the beach, on Monday 23 January, Heroes’ Day, as the Jetski heroes take up the surf challenge off Colliers Public Beach in East End. The event is run in cooperation with the Cayman Islands Watersports Association, and the course is designed for the action to be easily viewable from the beach, so spectators can enjoy the spectacle while still finding time to indulge in the rest of the action the day has to offer.

Competition will be every bit as hot on the beach as on the water as top local cooks compete for the coveted title in the Flowers Bottled Water Fish Tea Cook-Off. This unique brew of fish soup is a famous and favourite local delicacy, with many tales told of its hidden benefits.

As to which ingredients make up a top fish tea, you would be hard pressed to find any cook who would divulge more than the bare minimum – fish, ground provisions, and seasoning peppers. The rest is a secret unique to each cook, and as closely guarded as any secret recipe out there.

This year there is an added incentive for the winner of the fish tea cook-off, as the event will form part of Culinary Month, with the winner receiving a spot at the All things Cayman booth at Taste of Cayman, bringing the authentic taste of the Eastern Districts to the event.

Music will be provided by top DJs Selecta Renegade, DJ Von, DJ Lyn, DJ Atom Skillz and Eternal Vibes from Miami.

After the races, the action will carry on late into the night as the party continues on the beach. WH

For more information on the event, visit surfchallenge.ky