Pink is everywhere on the island this month. Since October 1, the front of Princess Juliana International Airport has been lit up in pink after dark, and a large pink ribbon now stands at the airport in memory of the women lost to breast cancer and in honor of survivors and those still in treatment. It is hard to miss when flying in, and it frames a month of walks, workouts and fundraisers on both the French and Dutch sides. Three of them fall within a single week, from Sunday, October 11 to Sunday, October 18.
Sunday, October 11: the Pink Walk, wigs on, from Galisbay
Now in its second year, the Pink Walk organized by Twirling Entertainment has a dress code that leaves no room for subtlety: this is the Pink Wig Edition, so wear pink and bring a pink wig. Saint-Martin Trails and Ofara Beauty & Artistry are on board, and the walk is dedicated to people fighting the disease and to those who have beaten it, with a reminder that breast cancer affects men too.
Early risers can stop by Ofara Beauty & Artistry's Face & Body Arts station between 5 and 6 a.m. for pink makeup and body paint. The walk sets off at 6 a.m. from the Galisbay parking lot and loops up to Morne Valois, through Cripple Gate, Rambaud and La Savane, down to Friar's Bay and back over Morne Valois to Galisbay. Breakfast is served at 7:30 a.m., followed by a Zumba session with Nico at 7:45.
Entry is 15 EUR or 15 USD, breakfast and Zumba included. Sign up or ask questions on +590 690 32 34 30 or +590 690 28 58 08. The last ticket sale runs on Saturday, October 10, from 9 a.m. to noon at the Marigot sports hall, Jean-Louis Vanterpool stadium.
Wednesday, October 14: Ladies Night at Friar's Bay
Midweek brings a cozier evening. Le Manteau de Saint-Martin, part of the ALEFPA social care network, holds its Ladies Night every October in support of the fight against breast cancer. This year it takes place on Wednesday, October 14 at 7:30 p.m. at La Plénitude, the ALEFPA residence tucked into the Friar's Bay neighborhood. Bookings and information on +590 690 64 92 66.
Sunday, October 18: walking the Princess Juliana runway
On the Dutch side, Princess Juliana International Airport (PJIA) is once again handing its runway over to walkers for the second Princess Walk, staged with the Elektralyets Foundation and the Positive Foundation. Around 400 people in pink T-shirts took part last year, out on the tarmac before the day's first aircraft movement. This year's theme, "Crown Yourself with Courage: Lace Up, Step Up, Check Up!", carries a plain message for women across the island: put your health first, keep up with screenings and understand why catching breast cancer early matters.
Set an early alarm. Check-in opens at the PJIA terminal at 4 a.m., shuttles to the runway leave from 4:45 a.m. with the last bus at 5:15, and the walk starts at 5:30 a.m. Water and Johnny Cakes are handed out along the way. Every participant has to register in advance, one form per person, through the official Princess Walk registration form.
The official T-shirt costs USD 20 and can be picked up at the Meet & Greet area in the arrivals hall from 9 a.m. to noon, with the last two sessions on Saturday, October 10 and Thursday, October 15. Cash and cards are accepted. Proceeds go to both foundations, which fund awareness campaigns, education and early detection, including mammograms for women without health insurance.
More pink dates this month
The same two foundations also benefited from Aqua Mania's Pink Sunset Sail out of Simpson Bay on October 3, the same day Rugby en Rose brought touch rugby teams to Domaine de Bellevue. Here is what is still ahead:
- Saturday, October 17, 9:30 a.m.: Pink October Aquagym in front of the Grand Case Beach Club, run by the Lions Club Saint-Martin Oualichi and Aquaterr'Happy, EUR 10.
- Saturday, October 17: an all-pink charity beach tennis tournament at the Beach Garden in Colombier, raising money for the Fleur du Phoenix association.
- October 23 to 25: the Ronde Féminine "Let's Go Girls", three days of women's road cycling with teams from around the Caribbean.
- Saturday, October 24, 8 a.m. to noon: a coastal water-walking and aquagym morning at Friar's Bay, with a session on breast self-examination.
- Saturday, October 31: the pink racket tournament at KKO Beach Club in Orient Bay, with a raffle and a screening awareness stand, EUR 10.
Photo: the 2025 Princess Walk on the Princess Juliana runway. © Princess Juliana International Airport.