Country Saint Kitts and Nevis Area 25 km² | Capital Dieppe Bay Town | |
Saint John Capisterre is one of 14 administrative parishes that make up Saint Kitts and Nevis. It is the second largest parish on Saint Kitts (after Saint George Basseterre Parish), and the third largest parish in the federation (the largest being Saint James Windward Parish). The capital of the parish is Dieppe Bay Town.
Contents
Map of Saint John Capisterre Parish
Economy
The main employer in the parish is agriculture. The fertile slopes of Mount Liamuiga are home to many small farms and a wide variety of tropical fruits are grown for local consumption, mainly acerola, avocado, banana, breadfruit, carambola, cashew, mango, papaya, sugar apple, and golden apple. Tourism is also a key industry here. The Golden Lemon Hotel, one of the islands most exclusive and expensive, situated on Dieppe Bay Beach, is a large employer of the population. The rich reefs of Dieppe are a major local fishing ground, and are also a popular snorkeling area. The rougher Sandy Bay has grown into a local surfing spot, and for those even more adventurous, climbing down the cliffs of Black Rocks to bathe in the elusive pools provides a challenge. The most recent addition to the parish is the Beaumont Park Race Track, hailed as one of the finest in the region, near the town of Dieppe Bay. The Race track offers horse and greyhound racing, as well as facilities for state-of-the-art gambling.
Community Festivals
Saint John Capisterre is home to three community festivals, more than any other parish (except Saint George Basseterre which has the same number). They are la festival de Capisterre, Saddlefest, and Festab. Festival de Capisterre is held in Northern St. Kitts, a region formerly held by France (17th century) which was named Capesterre (land facing the wind, as opposed to Basseterre, meaning land sheltered from the wind). The four villages of the region (Newton Ground and Saint Paul Capisterre in Saint Paul Capisterre and Dieppe and Parsons in Saint John Capisterre) thus annually hold the festival in mid-September to celebrate the distinction. Saddlefest is a community festival held in the large village of Saddlers. It features calypso shows, beauty pageants, late night liming and street jam sessions. Festab is the final festival, with many similar activities to Saddlefest, but held in the village of Tabernacle, and with its own unique styles and charms.