After a two year hiatus Junkanoo has returned to Bay Street. The 2022 Boxing Day Junkanoo Parade was held later than usual on Boxing Day due to inclement weather. The parade began at 6pm on December 26th with The Chosen Ones, a group of disabled Bahamians.
The Parade was attended by scores of Bahamians including Prime Minister, the Hon. Philip Davis who along with Minister of Youth, Sports and Culture, the Hon. Mario Bowleg rushed down Bay Street with the Sting Junkanoo Group. Davis to ZNS News about the return of the parade saying, “something was missing in our lives for so long and its also good to have this one event that brings us all together as a people where tensions are relieved, the pulsating drums gets our feet thumping. The blaring of the horns and saxophones get our spirits moving.”
Floyd Wilmott, Deputy Chair of the parade management team says there were no major hiccups but some concerns. “The lulls in the parade is from more or less by the rules a group must cross Charlotte Street before the next group starts because as you are aware you have the sounds from the building which would echo in. And so therefore each group has their own team and their own music. And so therefore they try to let that group at least, I’m going to estimate that to be about 100 yards – 150 yards from Frederick Street to Charlotte Street and then we would call the next A or B group. If its an A ahead then we would call the B group and give them their two minute warning. So that’s way you see the lull.”
The next Junkanoo parade will be on New Year’s Day 2023.
