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Junkanoo’s standing as one of the Caribbean’s most celebrated and spirited carnivals is undisputed.

From colourful costumes to exuberant dance routines, participants spend months preparing for the pageantry of this street parade accompanied by the steady beat of whistles, cowbells, horns, and goatskin drums that starts in the wee hours after midnight. Catch this celebration of Bahamian culture and history on Boxing Day—aka the day after Christmas—as well as on New Year’s Day and many Saturdays throughout the summer. The largest Junkanoo celebration takes place on Bay Street, in downtown Nassau, but Bahamians across the 16 islands celebrate this joyful tradition.

Island Culture and Music: Bahamian culture is rich and vibrant, influenced by African, British, and American traditions. Junkanoo, a traditional Bahamian festival featuring colourful costumes, lively music and dancing, is a significant cultural event.

Junkanoo brings out the colour inside of every Bahamian. For months they work, creating costumes, rehearsing dances, practising music routines. All of it building to competition on Boxing Day. And make no mistake, the sweat and sacrifice isn’t work. No, this is all passion stirring a pot of playful contention between families and friends.

Feel the tempo of a joyous Bahamian celebration. Months of preparation—the making of costumes, the late-night practices—culminate in a night of music, dance, and a little healthy competition.

Though the exact origin of the festival is unknown, there are plenty of theories. Many believe it was established by John Canoe, a legendary West African Prince, who outwitted the English and became a local hero. The most popular belief, however, is that it evolved from the days of slavery. Loyalists who migrated to The Bahamas in the late 18th Century brought their African slaves with them. The slaves were given three days off during the Christmas season, which they used to celebrate by singing and dancing in colourful masks, travelling from house to house, often on stilts. The uncertainty of its origin only proves that Bahamians don’t need a reason to throw a wonderful celebration.

The celebrations of the Junkanoo Festival have been evolving in The Bahamas since the early 1900’s, but today, it serves less as a street festival and more as a grand parade celebrating the Bahamian culture. Organised groups of up to 1000 people spend almost the whole year preparing costumes and entertainment for the event, and to them, that’s half the fun.

Junkanoo celebration brings together people from all walks of life. Anyone is welcome to participate, so long as they abide by the rules of the National Junkanoo Association. Visitors can make arrangements through their hotel to join the festival.

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