Photographer Rodney Washington has been selected as the winner of the St. Maarten Hospitality & Trade Association’s (SHTA) 2027 Events Calendar Photo Contest.
Washington’s winning photograph captures wooden gazebos in Emilio Wilson Park surrounded by greenery and blooming flamboyant trees, with the island’s mountainous landscape visible in the background. The photograph will be featured in the 2027 SHTA Events Calendar.
As the winner, Washington will receive a weekend stay at Seaview Beach Hotel on the Philipsburg Boardwalk.
This year’s competition also recognizes Mara Bailey and Richard Santaga with honorable mentions. Bailey received an honorable mention for photographs of Carnival, while Santaga received an honorable mention for photographs of the Heineken Regatta. Bailey and Santaga are both former winners of the SHTA Events Calendar Photo Contest, with Santaga winning the 2026 edition.
The annual photo contest is part of the SHTA Events Calendar, which will enter its 11th edition in 2027. The calendar is produced with CC1 as its main sponsor and highlights events, culture and creativity across St. Maarten / St. Martin.
The 2027 edition will feature a new design following 10 years of the previous format. Alongside the annual event listings, the calendar continues its tradition of highlighting the island’s cultural and creative community. Since 2020, the calendar has featured a Cultural Icon, with “Love in Spring Garden” selected as the 2027 Cultural Icon.
Love in Spring Garden was recognized for its creative approach to preserving island history and culture and for its binational character, with actors from both sides of the island involved in the production.
The 2026 edition marked the first time an organization, the National Institute of Arts (NIA), was selected as Cultural Icon. Previous Cultural Icons have included fashion designer Zillah Duzon-Hazel, painters Ruby Bute and Roland Richardson, Calypsonian Leroy “King Beaubeau” Brooks, steelpan expert Isidore “Mighty Dow” York, and choreographer Clara Reyes.
The 2027 SHTA Events Calendar will be available free of charge. To reserve a copy, email events@shta.com