NASSAU, BAHAMAS — Six A groups, 15 B groups, 10 scrap groups, and 25 individual participants will participate in the Christmas/Boxing Day and New Year’s Day Junkanoo parades after picks were selected during a ceremony on Fort Charlotte on Saturday evening.
Junkanooers from all groups were represented; and after two years of not having the two largest parades, Chairman of the Junkanoo Corporation of New Providence, Dion Miller said that the energy is high among supporters.
“I’m proud just of us to be in a vicinity where we can see one another again. We can show our geers, we can have our Junkanoo talks, our junkanoo rows as we get ready for battle. So it is a great time to be a Bahamian,” Miller said.
“The road will be full, so we have all our returning as well as some new groups, Barabus and the tribe will be making a re-entry on the parade. We have a new group called the Mighty Eagles and so the road is full.
For the ‘A’ division Christmas lineup, groups will go in order from one to six starting with the Saxon Superstars, Roots, Genesis, One Family, Music Makers, and ending with the Valley Boys junkanoo group.
In the B division, the order selected was: Redland Soldiers, Colors Entertainment, Body of Christ Crusaders, Fancy Dancers, Original Congos, Z Bandits, The New Vikings, Dynasty Junkanoo Group, The Immortals, Chipping Knights, The Mighty Eagles, The Ultimate Force, Foundation, Barabus and the Tribe, and Conquerors for Christ will wrap up on Christmas/Boxing Day.
Junkanoo Parades Management Team Chairman Anthen Mortimer oversaw the entire drawing process, adding that everyone was happy that the parades are back.
“The arena was crazy with it, but the energy today as individuals from different groups picked out different numbers, the atmosphere is great and all the groups are ready to go,” Mortimer said.
“Christmas is not Christmas unless you have Junkanoo right, that’s what we all say in the Bahamas right? so everybody is looking forward to these parades everything is very competitive, people are being very secretive and these groups are saying you know, they got something to show. these are going to be some of the most energetic and performative parades that we’re gonna have,” Mortimer said.
