Junkanoo
Junkanoo is indeed the greatest cultural event of not only The Bahamas, but also the world at large, After studying and covering all aspects of this distinctly Bahamian cultural exponent; one must often wonder where the monies for Junkanoo come from.
It should be realized that each of the major Junkanoo groups depend on corporate sponsors. A typical group requires anywhere from $40,000 to $100,000 to produce a winning formula on Bay Street come the December 26th or January 1st. We must tip our hats to such good corporate citizens as Aquapure Water Limited, Shell Bahamas Limited, Sun International and Colombian Emeralds International for their continued support and sponsorship.
Our Junkanoo street parades are showcased only twice per year, which does not allow the vast majority of our tourist visitors to sneak a peek at this cultural extravaganza.
However, the Junkanoo Expo located at the Prince George Dock in the heart of Nassau, gives the everyday tourist the chance to view Junkanoo in it’s albeit “second stage”.
Junkanoo-ers are men and women who come from all different walks of life to unite together as one under the banner of various groups twice yearly, to produce beautiful Costumes music and dance. Surely this is one street festival that the world would not want to miss, as attested to by The Bahamas recent participation in the Smithsonian Institution’s Exhibit of different world cultures in the summer of 1994, in Washington, DC, U.S.A.
