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The Associations Forum, held on Saturday, September 12, drew nearly 1,200 visitors to the plaza in front of the Wall House and the Collectivité’s headquarters. This success reflects not only the event’s popularity but also the vitality of the island’s associations.
Children were running around, having fun, and trying out different sports. Parents were moving from booth to booth to gather information from volunteers, chatting with friends, and filling out registration forms. Even before it opened its doors at 4:00 p.m. on Saturday, September 12, the Community Organizations Fair was already swamped with visitors. In fact, the Maison des Associations estimates that nearly 1,200 visitors attended the event.
As night fell, the plaza in front of the Wall House—as well as the one in front of the Collectivité hotel, where the booths of the 47 participating associations had been set up—was literally swarming with parents, their children, volunteers, and people who had come to meet up with friends. “There isn’t much going on on the island right now, so it’s really nice to be able to get together here at the end of the day,” says Stéphane happily. “I was able to sign the kids up for all the activities they want to do this year, so now I’m going to enjoy the atmosphere a bit,” Emilie smiles.
Volunteering at the Heart of the Forum
Between 4:00 and 8:00 p.m., the 47 organizations represented at the forum were in constant demand. By parents eager to learn more about their activities, but also by children eager to try their hand at different sports. Archery, volleyball, martial arts, rugby, chess—there’s something for everyone. Others couldn’t resist the urge to climb aboard the National Society for Sea Rescue (SNSM) vessel or rush into the liferaft moored at the dock. And while volunteers from Island Nature Experience (INE) were grinding sugarcane to make juice, students from OM’ Violin showcased their talents under the bandstand before giving way to a group of djembe enthusiasts. These were just a few of the many activities on offer.
For the organizers at the Maison des associations, the late afternoon was anything but a walk in the park. The department head, Magali Maxor, and the assistant manager, Virginie Guif, made countless trips back and forth to the forum site to ensure that everything was going according to plan. The event is significant because it highlights the vitality of the island’s nonprofit community—a vitality that cannot exist without the involvement of the local population. That is why Magali Maxor and Virginie Guif chose to place volunteerism at the heart of the 2026 edition.
For complete information on the sports and cultural activities available this fall 2026 in Saint-Barthélemy, check out the special issue of the Journal de Saint-Barth (JSB 1678), available online on our website.
The Nonprofit Sector in a Few Figures
• 108 organizations are currently registered with the Community Life Department.
• Cultural associations account for 35% of the registered organizations, or 41 associations.
• Sports organizations also account for 35% of the nonprofit sector, or 40 organizations.
• The remaining 30% are divided among the social, educational, humanitarian, and environmental sectors.
• The office is responsible for reviewing and monitoring all events organized by local associations. To date, this amounts to 204 event applications registered for the year 2026.
