The ninth annual Old Freetown Fire Hearth Food and Heritage Festival, held on Whit Monday, June 9 2025, brought visitors and residents alike to embrace the stories, traditions, and heritage that define the spirit of the event.
Held in Ole Freetown at the Freetown Heritage Site in East Grand Bahama, the day-long festival kicked off with a watermelon eating competition, beer relay race competition, washboard competition, bingo, a fire “half” cooking competition, and more family friendly activities.
With a deep sense of pride and reflection, Vice-President, Ole Freetown Heritage Festival Committee Vivian McIntosh shared that the festival is “a celebration of our story, our struggle, our strength and most importantly our heritage. Our motto, ‘From whence we came… this is our heritage,’ invites us to pause and reflect on the remarkable journey that has brought us to this moment.”
Recognising the importance of the festival, Chief Councillor for East GB District Daniel Bain said that it holds a special place in the hearts of the community, bringing people back to their roots — to a time when meals were cooked over a fire hearth, children ran barefoot through the yard and stories were passed down from generation to generation.
“Today, we celebrate all of that and more. Our culture, our food, our music, our people — this is who we are and I am proud to see that even in changing times we are still holding fast to the value that made this community strong,” he said.
With live entertainment by local artists, including Wendi Lewis and the Island Vibes Band, festival-goers gathered around to celebrate and dance to the rhythms of Bahamian music.
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