Following the success of the second annual Bahamas Junkanoo Carnival presented by BTC, the Bahamas National Festival Commission (BNFC) has shifted its focus to the Family Islands. The Commission has partnered with the organizers of the Red Bays Snapper Tournament to sponsor the festival which is set to take place this weekend May 13-16th in Red Bays, Andros. The festival this year is honouring the late Frank Hanna.
The Commission will be hosting a Youth Culture Fest Parade and Junkanoo Carnival Party that will feature several finalists of this year’s Music Masters concert including Andros’ natives Sammi Starr and Bantagy along with Elon Moxey, Ira Storr and the Spank Band and other Bahamian artists. Androsians will also receive several Junkanoo Carnival costumes to model during the festival and add to the overall colour and excitement of the event.
“We just wrapped up another successful Junkanoo Carnival and we are now taking that high energy and momentum to Red Bays to participate in one of the best festivals on the island. Red Bays is known for its music and culture and we hope that this partnership will go a long way to celebrate the history of this island while fulfilling the BNFC’s mandate to boost the cultural industries in the Family Islands,” said Roscoe Dames, Chief Executive Officer of the Bahamas National Festival Commission (BNFC).
“Festivals like the Red Bays Snapper Tournament are a prime source of generating income, fostering community development, enriching lives and impacting the island’s economy. We are proud to support the committee and bring the cultural components of Junkanoo Carnival to Andros,” said Dames.
Dr. Ann Higgins, Coordinator of Youth Culture Fest, said the Red Bays Festival will introduce the island to Youth Culture Fest and will highlight the talent of the youth on the island who will be performing on both Friday and Saturday during the daily activities at the festival site.
“The Red Bays Snapper Tournament and Festival has given us a platform to take Youth Culture Fest to Andros Island. Andros has supplied us with many of the raw, indigenous materials we have used to make costumes for the Youth Culture Fest parades. We have sourced sisal, coconut straw, palm straw and other materials from Andros and now we want to showcase these costumes on display so that the community can be proud to see how their island has contributed significantly to the development of Youth Culture Fest parade and promoting island culture,” said Dr Higgins.
The parade will feature several local schools including the B.A Newton Primary School Choir, the Mastic Point Primary and North Andros High schools, who will host a cultural skit, plaiting of the maypole dance and a historical dance tribute to the Red Bay Seminole Indians.
“Next year we want to host a Youth Culture Fest parade on several of the islands to give young people their own stage to showcase their talents. The Family Island festivals will be a lead up to the main parade in Nassau where we want all of the islands to participate in the finale,” she said.
One of the main attractions this year at Bahamas Junkanoo Carnival was the addition of the Straw Weaving demonstrations at Da Cultural Village. Visitors got an opportunity to see live demonstrations and watch the process and the artistry of straw plaiting.
“We want to continue to promote the Bahama Islands and highlight the cultural diversity that is found on each of our islands and festivals like the Red Bays Snapper Tournament will help us to do just that,” Major added.
After Andros, the Commission is heading to Inagua from May 27-29 to support Music Masters finalists and Inagua native Avvy Bahamas, who is producing the second annual Inagua carnival “Avvy Brings Carnival to Inagua”.
