The Tribune

By LYNAIRE MUNNINGS

Tribune Staff Reporter

lmunnings@tribunemedia.net

MORE than 3,000 additional Junkanoo tickets will be available to the public this year as the National Junkanoo Committee (NJC) and ALIV announced an expansion of seating and significant upgrades to the ALIV Events app following intermittent public frustration with the ticket-buying process in recent years.

ALIV officials said yesterday that 8,056 tickets per parade will be on sale this season, up from 5,000 last year. Tickets range from $27.50 plus VAT to $250 plus VAT for the new skybox pavilion. Sales begin Monday, December 8 at 10am through the ALIV Events app and in all New Providence ALIV stores.

The increase comes after years of complaints from residents who said tickets often sold out within minutes, and after criticism of app crashes, login failures, and difficulties navigating the system. ALIV officials acknowledged those past challenges and said this year’s system has been significantly rebuilt to provide smoother, more reliable access.

ALIV said the company has taken “major steps” to correct previous issues.

“We are confident, and we will have team members in store and online to help any issues that may occur,” the official said.

“We encourage everybody to download the app in the Apple app store or the Google Play store this weekend, set up your account so that you can have a seamless experience on Monday at 10am.”

To reduce confusion and crowding, the upgraded app will now feature GPS-guided seating, colour-coded QR codes that match section signage, improved global registration so tourists can buy tickets, and added seating sections, including a new VIP skybox.

NJC Chairman Andrew Pinder described the expanded partnership with ALIV as a defining moment for Junkanoo’s future, saying the cultural tradition is entering a new era.

“We are living through the next chapter of Junkanoo,” he said. “It is unfolding in real time, and sponsors like ALIV are helping us to shape it.”

Mr Pinder said ALIV’s renewed four-year sponsorship reflects a shared belief in using technology to improve the cultural experience. He also thanked the Junkanoo community for embracing ongoing changes.

“Change, necessary, meaningful change, is not always easy, but you have trusted the process,” he said.

Youth, Sports and Culture Minister Mario Bowleg said ALIV has demonstrated consistent support for Bahamian culture, noting the company’s role as a longstanding top-tier sponsor.

“Their bold initiatives, their commitment to pursuing boundaries while respecting traditions, and their belief in the power of human creativity have made them an ideal partner for Junkanoo,” he said.

Mr Bowleg acknowledged that for years the public has complained about limited seating and lightning-fast sell-outs of marquee sections.

“We have ensured, with our partnership with ALIV, that sufficient seats are available for purchase through the general public,” he said. “There will be much more seats available this time around.”

He added that excitement is building as the season moves from Monday’s well-attended practice rush into this weekend’s Best of the Best Regatta and next week’s Junkanoo T-Shirt Day.

ALIV Chief Alive Officer John Gomez said the company’s goal is to modernise access while keeping Junkanoo accessible for generations.

“Junkanoo is the best show on earth,” he said. “Our campaign has been ‘Junkanoo is ALIV,’ and today, that message stands stronger than ever.”

Mr Gomez confirmed ALIV will livestream number picking this Saturday, also known as “Nervous Saturday”, and all parade nights, continuing a tradition that allows residents at home and abroad to join the experience.

Although prime seats have historically been reserved for government partners, sponsors and groups, officials stressed that the significant increase in public inventory aims to reduce the pressure on high-demand sections and ease long-standing frustrations.

Asked how Bay Street will accomdate the increase in numbers, Mr Pinder said: “The seats were always there, but not accessible. We've ensured that they will be accessible, in addition to adding additional seats in front of the Straw Market.”