Displaying costumes depicting scenes from Africa, winners of the New Year’s Junkanoo Parade in Grand Bahama, the Classic Dancers, also took home the title of best costume as a group with a total of 2,055 points.
Swingers came in second with 1,987 points, followed by Majestic Crusaders in third place with 1,828 points.
The Superstar Rockers came in fourth with 1,786 points; Arawak Invaders placed fifth with 1,534 points; Rotary Club was sixth with 629 points; Bushwhackers came in seventh with 478 points; Harbour Boys placed eighth with 233 points; Victory Boys was given the ninth spot with 213 points; and Fun Time Junkanoo was tenth with 105 points.
Swingers won the award for best group performance and best music. The Majestic Crusaders, meanwhile, took home the title of best in execution of theme.
Chairman of the Junkanoo Committee, Derick King, pointed out that the Swingers was penalized because one of its costumes had three wheels on it instead of two.
Mr. King said despite the late start of the parade and a few hitches, the event was successful.
“The parade went very well. We got started 45 minutes late, but the major groups really stepped up this year and gave the crowd a fantastic parade. The music was great [as well as] the costumes,” Mr. King said.
“Unfortunately, the fun time Junkanoo didn’t make the first lap. But overall the parade was a tremendous success.”
Thousands of residents and visitors also enjoyed the sights and sounds of the festive parade.
One visitor from Detroit, Michigan, Satin Saylor, said as a first-time visitor, she was impressed by the amount of work that goes into the costumes.
“The Junkanoo parade is pretty cool,” Ms. Saylor said. “I never saw so much glitter in my life. The only time I heard about Junkanoo was the day I got here-and I was told how they make it and I think it’s awesome. I wouldn’t be able to make it.”
Her father, Jake Saylor, agreed.
“It’s beautiful,” he said.
One Junkanooer from Nassau, Richard Brennen, explained why he thought the Swingers should win.
“I rush for the Saxons in Nassau and I know that some of the guys come down here and assist them with the group. So moving it to another level, I’m very much in favour of that. It’s good for the economy too. It’s more than just spectators who come out to Junkanoo. There are people who come out and service the fans so that’s a positive thing,” Mr. Brennen said.
Jackie Morley, a spectator, also enjoyed what the groups had to offer.
“The Classic Dancers was very nice and the Swingers was very beautiful. I loved it and the music was great. I mean I enjoyed the whole atmosphere of Junkanoo and I think everybody should [have] watched it,” Mrs. Morley said.
Another avid Junkanooer, Walter “Showboat” Cooper, who was visiting from Eleuthera after his group won the Junkanoo parade there, also thought the Swingers was the group to win.
“It was a very good parade and looking at the groups, I think the Swingers had the upper edge. The Swingers to me was all around better; they had good music, good costumes; they were good from back to front,” Mr. Cooper said.
Theresa Demeritte, another spectator, said the Swingers and the Superstar Rockers had good music.
She added, “The dancers were perfect, and the costumes were nice and pretty colourful.”
Minister of Youth, Sports and Culture, Neville Wisdom, hinted that the island may have another parade this year.
Mr. King confirmed that the committee will strive to make that a reality.
“The minister challenged us saying he would put his support behind having a second parade,” Mr. King said.
“He would like to have it in West End, which would take the form of a Junkanoo rush out. Right after the Junior Junkanoo parade, we’re going to work feverishly for the Independence parade in West End. [We hope to have] two parades in Grand Bahama for the first time in a very long time,” Mr. King said.
Police, meanwhile, reported that there were no major criminal incidents during the parades and some merchants and vendors reported good sales.
By: Courtnee Romer, The Bahama Journal
