THE VALLEY, Anguilla, May 30, 2017 /PRNewswire/ — Anguilla is celebrating the 50^th anniversary of the Anguilla Revolution of 1967, when Anguilla expelled the St. Kitts Royal Police Force from the island.  This bold move initiated the process of secession from the Federation of St. Kitts & Nevis, a union the islanders had resisted from its inception. Thus began Anguilla’s historic journey to self-determination, and charting her own path to prosperity, a nation proud, strong and free.

Under the leadership of Revolutionary Leader and Anguilla’s first Chief Minister and Father of the Nation, Mr. James Ronald Webster, negotiations over Anguilla’s status continued for another decade, until on December 19^th 1980, Anguilla became a British Overseas Territory, with some measure of autonomy in government.

Two days of public holidays, May 30^th and 31^st have been declared in honor of the 50^th Anniversary celebrations, and a number of events and activities are taking place on-island around the anniversary date of May 30^th. A specially commissioned theater production, Pepper in Dey Soup, that tells the story of the Anguilla Revolution; an exciting cricket match pitting the Anguilla National Team against a Legends Team comprised of the legends of West Indian Cricket; a full day of festivities at the Ronald Webster Park in the Valley, including the Parade and Presentation of Awards, and all day performances by groups, schools, choirs, poetry and spoken word presentations, string bands, AXA Soca bands and others; and the island’s most eagerly anticipated event of the year, the spectacular annual Round-the-Island Boatrace on Wednesday, May 31^st .

To truly recognize and celebrate this golden anniversary, Anguilla is planning a full-year of activity from May 2017 – April 2018 to attract visitors and promote the culture, history and magic that is the island both at home and in their key markets abroad.

Getting to Anguilla to enjoy this year of festivities is now easier than ever. In partnership with the Anguilla Tourist Board, Seaborne Airlines has increased the frequency of their service between Seaborne’s hub, San Juan’s Luis Munoz Marin International Airport (SJU), and Anguilla’s Clayton J. Lloyd International Airport (AXA) with service five days a week, and morning and evening flights available on the weekend. Seaborne has codeshare agreements with JetBlue, Delta and American Airlines.

For more information visit the official website of the Anguilla Tourist Board: www.IvisitAnguilla.com; follow us on Facebook: Facebook.com/AnguillaOfficial; Instagram: @Anguilla_Tourism; Twitter: @Anguilla_Trsm, Hashtag: #MyAnguilla.

SOURCE Anguilla Tourist Board