Gros Islet Quarter

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Pigeon Island National Park

The Quarter of Gros Islet, with the town marked in red

Gros Islet is the newest town in Saint Lucia, having been recently promoted from a village to a town. It is the location of the Beausejour Stadium Test cricket ground, where part of the 2007 Cricket World Cup is being played. It is the administrative centre of the Gros Island Quarter, a region of saint Lucia which includes the island's northernmost point, Cap Point.

It lies north of Castries, the capital of Saint Lucia, and features the Friday Night Street Party which is a major tourist attraction. Also known as the jump-up, the Friday Night Street Party encompasses several blocks, which have to be informally cordoned off with the stalls of street vendors. Everything from steamed fish to barbecue chicken, to St.lucia's own Piton beer can be purchased from these vendors. Massive Hi-fi systems reverberate throughout the old fishing village, and locals and tourist both dance in a central cross section in the small streets to the sounds of calypso, zouk, reggae and R&B.

The Rodney Bay Area further south represents an almost shocking contrast to the small, make-shift housing littering most of the town of Gros-Islet. Catering mostly to the tourism populace, the areas surrounding the marina contain shops, malls, restaurants and night clubs that fall on the higher end of the spectrum compared to other local enterprises. Not surprisingly, land development costs in the Rodney Bay area are extremely high. The exclusive beach front properties have almost all been purchased by small and large hoteliers, and restauranteurs, frustrating locals who continually see access to the public beaches being blocked by large contruction projects. The night life reveals several clubs all in close proximity vying for clientelle. Weekends often see more youthful prospects "skanking" or "pimping" and basically enjoying the atlantic breeze frequently blowing through the area.