Junkanoo is one of the most spectacular street festivals and parades in the world, a Boxing Day tradition that takes over the streets of Nassau every year. If you’re in the Bahamas over the holidays, drag yourself off the beach and into the big city for a bit of revelry that will give you a fresh new perspective on island culture. The costumes are stunning, the parade floats amazing, and the colors breathtaking.
The discarded floats gave me a chance for a good close-up
MissChatter/Flickr
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Jump into the Junkanoo
Junkanoo is one of the most spectacular street festivals and parades in the world, a Boxing Day tradition that takes over the streets of Nassau every year. If you’re in the Bahamas over the holidays, drag yourself off the beach and into the big city for a bit of revelry that will give you a fresh new perspective on island culture. The costumes are stunning, the parade floats amazing, and the colors breathtaking.
Junkanoo New Year Pre Show
A great way to have a unique travel experience and celebrate New Year’s Eve at the same time can be found in downtown Nassau. For the countdown to midnight, the locals are all in church so only a few people are out on the streets to watch the handful of fireworks celebrations across the islands. Immediately following the fireworks, parade participants begin the setup of their costumes, floats, and decorations. The streets will soon be flooded with thousands of people and access will be restricted, but just after midnight the streets are open to walk all around and interact with the locals involved in the parade. It’s like a free backstage pass to a major festival for anyone who is interested.
