Gouyave

12°09′59″N 61°43′48″W / 12.16639°N 61.73000°W / 12.16639; -61.73000Country GrenadaParishSaint JohnGovernment • MPKerryne JamesElevation269 ft (82 m)Population • Total3,378 city properTime zoneUTC-4WebsiteOfficial website

Gouyave is the capital and largest town in the parish of St John, Grenada. It is located on the west coast of the Grenada.

History

Originally called Charlotte Town after Queen Charlotte of Britain, it was renamed Gouyave by the French because of its guava trees.^{[citation needed]}

Culture

The town of Gouyave, pronounced locally as Go-ov has played a pivotal role in the development and sustainance of Grenada's economy throughout its history. Agriculture and fishing used to be the staple of Grenada's economy and the town of Gouyave not only the center of the fisheries industry, but also the centerpoint of many of the most fertile and productive agriculture plantations on the island. For many years Grenada was the only western nation to produce and export nutmeg; which is the main reason why it is often called the Isle Of Spice or the Spice Isle. Nutmeg along with clove and cinnamon in particular. The plantations and farms surrounding the town of Gouyave produced many of these crops, if not the brunt. This is the reason why the nutmeg processing plant in Gouyave or The Nutmeg Pool as it is called locally is still the largest building in Grenada.

One of the town's annual celebrations is Fisherman's Birthday. On 29 June fishermen come from all over Grenada for competitive boat racing, entertainment, fish foods, and many other activities. Also, every Friday the town celebrates "Fish Friday," a weekly festival that offers a wide range of fish dishes and entertainment. Fish Friday was founded to promote community development in Gouyave and the overall Parish of St. John's by promoting it as a fishing village. The town is also famous for its nutmeg processing plant.

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