Having experienced two considerable economic boosts with this summer’s “Feel the Rush” Junkanoo Parade and last month’s Power Summit, the Ministry of Tourism in conjunction with Local Government, announced yesterday that they will hold the ninth annual Discovery Street Festival in the island’s western region instead of Freeport.
Speaking from Jones Town’s popular Sunset Village strip οΎ– the event’s new venue, Executive Heritage Tourism Officer Martha Rolle said that the street festival will be celebrated each Saturday of this month.
The festival, which is being planned to keep natives and foreigners alike entertained from 5:50 p.m. to 10:00 p.m., will feature lively Bahamian music, cultural performances such as rake ‘n’ scrape, quadrille dancing, Junkanoo rush-outs, Bahamian entertainers Spice, K.B., Veronica Bishop, and many others. A kiddie corner will also be available to keep youngsters equally as entertained as their chaperones.
Noting that the economy in the western region is lagging significantly behind that of Freeport, Ms. Rolle said all measures are being taken to ensure that the western district receives the maximum amount of funds as possible, as a result of the upcoming event.
“We’ll have free shuttles from hotels that we will provide for our visitors. We’d like them to come down and experience a real cultural fest. We’re hoping that this cultural festival would help the vendors in this area financially,” Ms. Rolle said.
It is the organizers’ hope that leftover visitors of the recent Power Summit will make up a considerable number of attendees showing up at the festival. A number of hotels in Lucaya had been booked to capacity upon their arrival for last month’s highly successful Power Summit, which featured some of the largest and most influential names in the DJ and hip-hop arenas.
A variety of delectable dishes will be prepared by vendors to satisfy festival-goers’ taste buds. On the menu will be fruits, conch salad, guava duff, pastries, Bahamian pizza, Bahamian ice- cream, patties, and much more.
“By bringing this festival here, we’re hoping the vendors would be able to sell their native dishes,” Ms. Rolle stated.
West Grand Bahama Administrator Charles King said that he is looking forward to both the local and touristic sector showing their full support for the occasion. For visitors to the island, he asserts that the festival will provide excellent enlightenment of what Bahamian culture is all about.
By JEREMY FRANCIS, Freeport News Reporter
