The No. 63 Beach in Berbice, Guyana, continuously brings together families and communities during Easter. Over the last few decades, it has served as the sole recreational area where families could celebrate Easter. For Berbicians, visiting the No. 63 Beach on Easter Monday is a “rite of passage”. Annually, families from all across Guyana visit the beach for Easter celebrations to partake in its unique festivities. As the salty wind blows heavily, children and adults alike fly kites of all shapes and sizes. The sky becomes a colourful and vibrant scenery. Some families utilise the wood and shade from trees to “bush cook” on the beach, while others may spread a cloth on the sand to have a family picnic.

There are usually local vendors with temporary stands selling various Guyanese classic foods and drinks such as barbecue chicken, fish and chips, cook-up rice, mauby, Banks Beer, and even traditional Chinese food. Local music/sound companies would take their sound systems onto the beach, or car enthusiasts would utilise their car sound systems to blast Caribbean classics and enhance the celebrations through music and dance.
The beach and its open spaces are perfect for fun physical activities and games. As such, gatherings would utilise the beach to play a game of softball cricket, or they’d dive into the water for a game of water polo. As children draw “hopscotch” and “salpas” to play or swim in shallow waters, you would find parents bracing onto their cars, enjoying a refreshing cold drink as they supervise their children.

Melena Williams, a Corentyne resident and beach lover, shared her experience of attending the 63 Beach festivities. She said, “As a child growing up, I always enjoyed going to the beach on Easter Monday with my family. The most exciting part was going to view all the different shapes, sizes, and colours of kites. The crowd is usually very, very large on this day. Cars with music sets can be seen scattered throughout the seashore playing different genres of music—and not forgetting the sightseeing of people of all races showcasing their sense of fashion.” She continued by saying, “Children and adults are most times seen taking a swim in our beautiful salt waters, and others vibing and enjoying the combination of a cold drink, the sun, and sea breeze.”

The No. 63 Beach remains a main tourist attraction and leisure centre for many. Easter Monday on the No. 63 Beach is not just a regular holiday celebration—it’s a tradition that many Guyanese uphold. It is often cautioned to avoid swimming in deep waters because there is no lifeguard present. It is also essential to clean up after yourselves. The beach has its very own committee that is often responsible for Easter Monday’s activities, as well as clean-up initiatives after the Easter celebrations. They reiterate the point of keeping our coastlines clean annually after each celebration. Despite the crowd, Easter Monday on the No. 63 Beach is an unforgettable experience—it’s a true reflection of Guyanese unity through festivities.