Bahamas Junkanoo Festival

Month : January
Place : Bahamas
Famous For : Traditional Festival
Attractions : Parades with Dance, Music & Art

Junkanoo is a popular festival celebrated in Bahamas on 26 December and the 1st of January. The festival of Junkanoo is actually a street parade with music. Throughout the centuries the parades have evolved, with groups of dancer and musicians today competing for the grand prize. The participation in celebrations of this event requires immense skill and stamina.

Major Attractions

The grand celebrations of Bahams Junkanoo involve an early rise, running from two until nine in the morning, with the sound of drummers, horns, whistles, cowbells and more creating a cacophony of noise and color that would be impossible to sleep through. There are no clear ideas related to the origin of this festival but hot contests are always there for taking. The festival of Junkanoo has always been a showcase of dance, music and art, rooted in the days of slavery with the sounds and movements which are is distinctly African in nature. The capital city of Nassau holds the largest and busiest Junkanoo, where spectators line Bay Street and the surrounding area. However most of the other major islands hold their own celebrations but the one at Nasau is the grandest of all. Various categories have been designed to judge parades in Nasau. Category A or Major Category & category B are the two main ones. The spirit of Junkanoo is reflected in these categories for bringing the fun with a flair.