Rev. C.B. Moss, the boardﾒs president, said it is well on its way to transforming Bain and Grants Town into a cultural attraction for visitors and Bahamians alike.
In so doing, the board will hold the Bain Town Culture Fest on Saturday, October 14 at noon on the corner of Meadow and Augusta Street, and will continue the event every Saturday for as long as possible.
The board is also encouraging surrey drivers and tour operators to bring visitors into the community, so that tourists can get a taste of the historic landmarks there.
Rev. Moss said the cultural event will not only bring the community together, but will also bring economic growth to the community.
The Culture Fest will display aspects of past and present culture life of the area, Rev. Moss said.
It will also feature local bands, comedy acts, poetry and drama acts. The event will showcase goods made by the youths in the communities.
Rev. Moss anticipates that the fest will grow into the biggest cultural event that has ever taken place in New Providence.
“The Culture Fest is one of the major components of the Bain Town Tourism Board plan and we are aiming to make Bain and Grants Town one of the hottest spots in The Bahamas. It is unique. It is an event not being developed [only] for visitors, although thatﾒs our target market, but first weﾒre having this for Bahamian appreciation,” Rev. Moss said.
He encouraged persons from all communities to come out and be a part of an event that will be truly Bahamian.
Rev. Moss also encouraged businesspersons and the Ministry of Tourism to be a part of the cultural activities by becoming a sponsor of the event.
The boardﾒs Director of Culture Freddie Munnings Jr. appeared excited to see the groupﾒs plans finally getting off the ground.
He said for an historic community to launch such a festival, many young persons would be able to get a better appreciation of where they are from.
Persons outside the community are also welcome to take part in the event, according to the organizers.
“This is going to be an economic activity for young entrepreneurs who wish to get into the field of souvenir production as it relates to arts and crafts and other artistic expressions,” Mr. Munnings said.
“We see this as an opportunity to bring back the self value of that community because itﾒs an historic community.”
The board is hoping to establish a daily marketplace in Bain and Grants Town so that visitors can walk from the downtown area to that community.
Rev. Moss said with the income made from the marketplace residents in that community would be able to boost their morale by improving their homes and their surroundings and bringing them up to the standards of some other communities.
By: Bianca Symonette, The Bahama Journal
