The Freeport office of the Bahamas Agricultural and Industrial Corporation (BAIC) announced plans yesterday for its upcoming “Uniquely Bahamian Craft Festival.”
The event, which has been hosted by BAIC for the last eight years, will run for three days beginning November 25 to November 27 around the Count Basie Square of the Port Lucaya Marketplace.
Describing the festival as a ‘significant trade show,’ BAIC Assistant General Manager H. Rudy Sawyer said its goal is to positively impact the local business community of Grand Bahama.
He noted that the event is taking place right after another devastating hurricane and, at the beginning of the most vibrant business period of the year; the Christmas season.
Mr. Sawyer said the festival was not held last year because of setbacks suffered after the passing of Hurricanes Frances and Jeanne. He said despite the destruction wreaked by Wilma to certain parts of Grand Bahama, people must start putting their lives back together.
“So we are looking forward to this, and are working very closely with the management here at the Port Lucaya Marketplace who have pledged their support to ensure the success of this event,” Mr. Sawyer said.
Chala Cartwright, an officer dealing with locally-made handicrafts at BAIC, said the event is designed to develop and promote handicraft throughout The Bahamas and the world.
“We are trying to make Bahamians more aware of what artisans have to offer and, what you see here today is just a very small number of exactly what our Grand Bahamian artisans have to offer in terms of souvenir items,” Ms. Cartwright said.
She said in addition to the number of booths that will have souvenirs on display by local artisans, visitors and residents can expect live entertainment by Bahamian musicians. Prominent artisans who will showcase their creations will include: Reggie Farrington, Pam Hall, Kathy Laing – who is popular for producing Christmas ornaments; and Mr. Joseph – who utilizes conch shells to create beautiful lamps, salad bowls, candle and napkin holders, etc.
“This particular year is very special to us because earlier we held a straw training programme and so we will feature some of our graduates who are now perfecting the art of straw weaving,” she said.
“We will like to invite the Grand Bahama community to come out and encourage our Bahamians who are utilizing our natural resources and promoting Bahamian-made souvenir items.”
Jerome Knowles, Acting Deputy Director of Security in the Port Lucaya Marketplace said he was very pleased to see that BAIC had chosen the Count Basie Square as the venue for its upcoming trade show.
“This is an asset for us, in that it affords an opportunity for those artisans who actually work out of the marketplace, to see and purchase unique handcrafted items made in The Bahamas,” Mr. Knowles said.
“This even also provides an opportunity for our visitors and residents to get a head start on their Christmas shopping. We feel that this trade show will act as a catalyst for another show scheduled for next year, that will feature handicraft by some of the local school students.
“These type of shows highlight some of the local talent as well as exposing a facet of Bahamian culture. We are certainly enthused about being a part of that and we just look forward to the event.”
By LISA S. KING, Freeport News Reporter
