The Tribune

WITH the inaugural Bahamas Junkanoo Carnival six months away, Grand Bahama is gearing up to reveal its costume line tomorrow.

Prime Minister Perry Christie is travelling to the nation’s second city for “The Grand Life” costume unveiling by the Grand Bahama Cultural Carnival Company (GBCCC) in the Count Basie Square of the Port Lucaya Marketplace at 8pm.

The two-hour event will see the square transformed into a carnival tribal wonderland with the pulsating sounds of Junkanoo rhythm and an energetic performance from Stileet. Bahamas Junkanoo Carnival is a three-day event from May 7 to 9 next year and Mr Christie is a passionate supporter: when he visited Grand Bahama in August he spoke of how necessary it was to have the island’s support, saying “this is going to be an extraordinary event in the calendar of the Bahamas”.

The GBCCC has been formed by local Junkanoo groups and authentic Bahamian product providers on the island in an effort to become a premier Carnival company in the Bahamas.

Grand Bahama businessman Peter Hunt was the first to provide funding to each of the Junkanoo groups for the creation of prototypes for the carnival costumes which will be sold by the GBCCC under “The Grand Life” theme. His gesture was followed by Mario Donato, who sponsored a prime shop space location in the Regent Centre in downtown Freeport for the business operations of the GBCCC and sale of costumes and authentic Grand Bahamian products.

Grand Bahama will start the Bahamas Junkanoo Carnival festivities with “The Grand Life” experience during a two-day celebration on April 17 and 18, including live concerts, a midnight rush and beach party.