By Jennifer

It was 4:45 a.m. on Boxing Day, Dec. 26. The marina was quiet and still. But two miles down the road a party was in full swing.

We rolled out of bed and into a cab hoping not to miss the unrivaled Bahamian parade of Junkanoo. As we stepped out into the deep dark night with kids in tow, the glow and hum of Bay Street came into focus. Within minutes we saw glittery dancers gyrating, trumpets heralding, cow bells clanging and hand-drums pounding. The pulse worked its way from chanting revelers’ feet to their very core.

To call this festival energizing is an understatement. As the parade winds its way through the streets of Nassau, the music and the rhythm take over and leave your body unknowingly, momentarily possessed by a tribal stride.

Definitely the highlight of Nassau. Unforgettable. 

Junkanoo occurs on Dec. 26 and Jan. 1 — beginning in the early hours of the morning (2:00 a.m.) and ending at dawn.

The festival is reminiscent of New Orleans’ Mardi Gras and Rio de Janeiro’s Carnival, but it is distinctly Bahamian and exists nowhere else. Parade participants — arranged in groups of up to 1,000 — are organised around a particular theme. Their costumes, dance and music reflect this theme. At the end of the Junkanoo procession, judges award cash prizes. The three main categories for the awards are: best music, best costume and best overall group presentation.