NASSAU, BAHAMAS — Despite unsettled weather on New Providence yesterday, residents of Union Village gathered on the Union Drive park to celebrate this year’s Emancipation Day.
The day featured lots of food, games for the kids and down-home music that kept adults on their feet and rocking to the beat.
The 12thannual Union Village Day Festival is an event funded by the Middletown, Sporting, Cultural Community Development Association, according to event organizer Quintin Percentie.
“The purpose of this festival is to bring together residents — both past and present — to ensure that we continue to build this community,” Percentie told Eyewitness News Online.
“We believe that we are the change that we would like to see in our community, so this is why we have this annual festival.”
The community park was filled with lots of food vendors and wide variety, including grilled chicken, hamburgers, grilled corn on the cob, conch fritters, specialty grilled hot dogs and an assortment of beverage options.
As the adult attendees danced around, young Union Village residents played popular outdoor games like catch-and-freeze, tag and the endlessly chased bubbles dispensed from a bubble gun.
“On Festival Day it’s like a big family reunion,” Percentie shared.
“We have a smorgasbord of food available to attendees, which not only features Bahamian food, but other cultures as well.”
Susan Smith, who attended the festivities yesterday said it was a wonderful occasion.
Smith, a long-time resident of Union Village, said she looks forward to the annual event.
“I enjoy the music, the food, the comradery. Events like this are most important for us,” she shared.
Union Village resident Patricia Hepburn echoed those sentiments.
“This is just fantastic,” Hepburn said.
“Everybody is just enjoying themselves and having fun.
“This is our 12thanniversary now and we are just enjoying everything. I live right next door to this park, so it’s very nice to see everyone having fun.
“An event like this helps us to come together and have fun, and live as one in love, and peace.”
While most adults found it easy to pinpoint their favorite aspects about the holiday festival, the younger attendees noted that there were too many enjoyable moments at the festival to list just one.
“I am having a good time. I’ve been having fun and playing with my friends and I ate. I can’t choose, I like everything,” said Aiden.
The event, which commenced shortly after 1:00 p.m., wrapped up close to 9:00 p.m.
Event organizers confirm that the magic of Union Village Day will be back again on Emancipation Day 2020.
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