Horns will blare, cowbells will ring, and drums will pound as scores of youngsters take to Pioneers Way in downtown Freeport to participate in Junior Junkanoo.
After a two-year hiatus, the parade is set to take place on February 11 beginning at 6 p.m.
More than 20 schools on Grand Bahama have begun making preparations for the event, which was initially scheduled for January 28.
Monique Leary, cultural affairs officer at the Ministry of Youth, Sports, and Culture, attributes the decision to postpone the event by two weeks to challenges getting materials for costumes and floats.
According to Leary, the City of Freeport Council has been donating Junkanoo supplies for the schools for more than 20 years now.
“However, there was a slight delay in receiving the materials,” she explained. “Additionally, many schools have lost the majority of their resources since Hurricane Dorian. Therefore, it was only fitting to give the schools more time to prepare.”
Some participating schools were grateful for the extra time.
Lenor Adderley-Curry, one of the Junkanoo coordinators of The Beacon School, said, “Although we are participating as a fun group, we were anticipating and hoping that the parade would be pushed back because we were a bit behind with our preparations. I’m sure that we would have been ready for the road in January, but the extra two weeks gave us a little more time to practice.”
Gidget Basden-Williams, Jack Hayward Senior High’s Junkanoo coordinator, said, “The date change was a good decision because it gave us sufficient time to prepare, especially because we are competing.
“Had we kept the initial date, we would not have been able to get as much accomplished as we would have liked to because of the lack of supplies and materials.”
The two-year gap since the previous parade has seemingly had a positive impact on student involvement.
Basden-Williams expressed her surprise at the level of participation this year.
“We have a larger group this year,” she said.
“Jack Hayward High always has a great turnout of students in the parade, but there is definitely more interest this year and we are extremely excited about showcasing our culture and talents in competition after a two-year break. We are confident that we have what it takes to win and we will be ready on February 11.”
Adderley-Curry agrees that the students are thrilled and eager for Junior Junkanoo.
“This is my first year at The Beacon School, but I am impressed with the students’ dedication and involvement,” she said.
“We practice every day and they are always full of energy. They are ready to get dressed up and display their musical talents and creativity under the theme, ‘The Beacon School’s Silver Jubilee: Celebrating 25 Years’.”
Principal of The Beacon School Titi McKenzie-Moss said she is thrilled about the parade and that the theme honors the school’s recent milestone.
“Last October, The Beacon School celebrated 25 years since the opening of the establishment,” she said.
“We are extremely excited to get back out there to show an expression of our culture and display just a portion of the many talents that our mighty lions possess.”
Although there have been a few setbacks, the organizers expect the parade to run smoothly as all of the stakeholders in the surrounding areas of the parade have been cooperative.
Leary expressed gratitude to University of The Bahamas for allowing the use of its premises during the event, as well as the cooperation of other businesses on Pioneers Way.
Leary is also grateful for the hard work of all schools involved and is hopeful that there will be a great turnout of spectators for the parade.
“Preparing for Junior Junkanoo takes many months of planning, practice, and dedication,” she said.
“We are so appreciative of the patience and continued support we have received from administrators, teachers, parents, and students. We are inviting the entire community to come and enjoy the festivities.”
