NASSAU – The good news is the weather was fine and last night’s Junkanoo Parade in Nassau, Bahamas was sensational! ﾠBut, even better news is that those who missed Junkanoo on Bay Street this season get a rare opportunity to see it on January 7.
That’s right, there’s still time to catch the second — and most spectacular — installment of Junkanoo, an annual Bahamian festival featuring wild parades, brightly costumed dancers and hordes of revellers, all gyrating to a beat that only the dead wouldn’t dance to.
The event is usually split into two parades: one on Boxing Day (Dec. 26), and the other on New Year’s Day (starting at around 2 a.m. and ending at dawn). ﾠBut this year a rare postponement occurred (due to inclement weather) resulting in the Boxing Day Parade being held last night (New Year’s Eve) with the second parade scheduled for January 7.
Don’t miss it! Participants, arranged in groups of up to 1,000, are organized around a theme, reminiscent of New Orleans’ Mardi Gras and Rio de Janeiro’s Carnival.
Nassau’s Junkanooo parade is by far the most elaborate but other excellent performances can be found in Grand Bahama, Eleuthera, Bimini and Abaco.
For more information, call (242) 326-9781 or visit bahamas.com.
