Love in Spring Garden Named SHTA Events Calendar Cultural Icon for 2027
A theatre production bringing together performers, history, food and traditions from across St. Martin will take the spotlight on the 2027 SHTA Events Calendar. Love in Spring Garden has been selected as the calendar’s Cultural Icon for 2027, continuing a tradition that has previously recognized individual artists and, most recently, the National Institute of Arts.
The selection was made by a committee consisting of the St. Maarten Hospitality and Trade Association board, representatives of both island tourism bureaus and main calendar sponsor CC1. The committee cited the production’s approach to presenting local history and culture, as well as its binational character.
The recognition puts a theatre production at the center of the calendar for the first time. Previous editions have highlighted Carnival as a major cultural event, while earlier Cultural Icons have largely been individual artists. The 2026 calendar marked the first time an organization, rather than an individual, received the distinction, with the National Institute of Arts serving as that year’s Cultural Icon.
A story rooted in Colombier
Love in Spring Garden is performed twice a week at Colombier’s Heritage Village, where audiences are introduced to the history of St. Maarten and Colombier through a theatrical production built around a love story.
The production was conceived by sisters Ghyslaine Richardson and Helene Richardson. Ghyslaine Richardson wrote the play, while Clara Reyes is responsible for its music and choreography. Actors from both sides of the island form part of the cast, reinforcing one of the central characteristics highlighted by the selection committee.
The experience extends beyond the performance itself. Visitors can sample traditional island foods and drinks, including Johnny Cakes, coconut water and guavaberry rum associated with the Colombier area.
Another element of the experience is jollification, a community tradition that Reyes describes as an important part of Saint Martin culture. In the Heritage Village tour, visitors learn about arrowroot jollification and the process involved in producing farine, from planting and harvesting to washing, grating and refinement. Arrowroot porridge is also offered for tasting.
The cast includes Lorenzo Gomez as Polite Flanders, Benjamin Bell as Nathan, Naomi Warsop as Ms. Mariann, Karim Toulen as Rosie, Kyro Vanterpool as the Narrator and Pauline Gumbs as Queen of Hopehill.
A new chapter for the Cultural Icon
The Cultural Icon feature has been part of the SHTA Events Calendar since 2020. Its earlier honorees include choreographer Clara Reyes in 2020, steelpan expert Isidore “Mighty Dow” York in 2021, painter Roland Richardson in 2022, Calypsonian Leroy “King Beaubeau” Brooks in 2023, painter Ruby Bute in 2024 and fashion designer Zillah Duzon Hazel in 2025.
The National Institute of Arts followed in 2026, becoming the first organization to receive the distinction. Its inclusion also allowed the calendar to showcase several artistic disciplines through four NIA representatives photographed at Fort Amsterdam.
The 2027 selection changes the format again by putting a theatrical production and its performers in the foreground. Clara Reyes, who is also a cofounder and codirector of NIA, is now connected to both the outgoing and incoming Cultural Icons.
The NIA participants previously featured in the calendar described the experience as an opportunity to see their work and representation reach a wider audience across the island. Shiloh Bedminister, Mila Grandtner, Shannell Bucknor and Nyah Kalmera each spoke about the reaction of friends and family after seeing them featured in the calendar.
From local calendar to cultural platform
The SHTA Events Calendar was established in 2017 and has developed into a platform for promoting events and local creative activity. The Cultural Icon component was introduced in 2020 as part of that broader effort to highlight people and organizations contributing to the island’s cultural life.
The calendar’s 2026 edition represented NIA through four artistic disciplines, with photographs taken at the historic Fort Amsterdam. The organization’s selection also marked a departure from the individual artist focus of earlier editions.
With Love in Spring Garden, the 2027 edition continues that evolution while introducing theatre as the central cultural feature. The production’s setting in Colombier also connects the calendar directly to a location where visitors can experience the story and traditions presented in the performance.
The calendar is produced in 30,000 printed copies, according to the source material, and is also distributed online. CC1 is joined by Telem, AMA Jewelers, Grant Thornton, the Office du Tourisme de Saint Martin and the St. Maarten Tourism Bureau in supporting the project.
Copies of the calendar can be reserved through events@shta.com.
Love in Spring Garden will carry the Cultural Icon designation into the 2027 edition of the SHTA Events Calendar.
