The Island Festival

Every July, the small island of Maro holds a three-day festival that celebrates music, food, and the sea. The island has only two thousand residents, but during the festival more than ten thousand visitors arrive by ferry. Hotels fill up months before, and many families rent rooms in their houses to earn extra money. The festival opens with a parade of fishing boats decorated with flags and lights. Each boat carries musicians who play traditional songs as they sail slowly around the harbor. On the second day, cooks compete to make the best fish soup, and visitors can taste more than twenty different recipes. Judges choose a winner in the evening, and the whole square smells of garlic, lemon, and fresh herbs. The last day belongs to young people: rock bands play on the beach until midnight, and artists paint large pictures on the harbor walls. The festival brings the island most of its yearly income, but it also causes problems. Rubbish piles up on the beaches, water runs short, and some older residents complain about the noise. This year the organizers hired extra cleaners and limited tickets for the beach concert to protect the island.