It's usually a stellar line-up of veteran Rake 'n' Scrape artists performing at the Cat Island Rake 'n' Scrape Festival, but in an about face for the 18th edition of the much-loved event, organizers will focus on a younger lineup of artists. Piggy-backing off the recent Junkanoo Carnival, they will showcase the music and performances of Ebony, Lisa-Jayne, Exec, Aurelia Russell and Bodine Johnson, along with performances from two veterans -- the homegrown Veronica Bishop and Geno D.
"This is going to show that the Rake 'n' Scrape influence on our young people is significant," said festival president Sidney Isaacs.
"We usually only have two young artists on stage with a full slate of veteran artists, but this year we've turned that around, with the veterans closing out the nights. I was privileged to see Exec and Lisa-Jayne in rehearsal and I liked what I saw. I want them to show the world and young people in The Bahamas that Rake 'n' Scrape is a viable genre of music that needs to be elevated to world music and respected like Reggae and Soca."
Isaacs described the June 2-6 entertainment as "priceless".
"When people leave this festival I want them to leave like Bob Marley say, 'One good thing about music, when it hits, you feel no pain.' I want you to leave pain free, euphoric, enthused and ready to come back again."
The annual festival held during the Labour Day weekend at the Rake 'n' Scrape Park in Arthur's Town, is the signature event for Cat Island. It showcases the sensuous, rhythmic vibe of the island's premiere music. It also features a gospel concert, battle of the Rake 'n' Scrape bands, quadrille dancing, a children's corner with games and a fishermen and farmer's market.
During the festival, guests can partake of down home Cat Island cuisine, purchase locally made crafts such as jewelry and straw items.
Isaccs said the event's consistency in offerings is something they take pride in and has people returning to the island annually for the festival.
"The consistency is always the pride we take in the appearance of our village. We have an all-inclusive village, so it's not an ad hoc preparation. There is authentic Bahamian food, craft, art and everything Bahamian with the music, so that consistency remains. The difference is the lineup in the show and how we present the show itself every year."
Gates to festival village opens as early as the breakfast every day to allow patrons to take in the festival from sun up to sun down, before it's cleared at 7 p.m. to prepare for the evening performances that start between 7:30 p.m. and 8 p.m. Isaccs said they wait for the premium cover of darkness, as it is a sound and light show.
The immensely popular Cat Island's first Rake 'n' Scrape Festival was an idea born in the administrator's office. The first event was held with three local bands who performed on the porch of the regatta village that was then in New Bight. They transferred from that site to a location in the north for future festivals so as to not clash with the regatta itself, and to avoid confusion, according to Isaacs. Organizers then created their own village, which he said is unique to anything else in The Bahamas.
"I would go so far as to say it is the best looking cultural village in this country designed to house a specific event. We have improved our appearance in the village, we keep it, we maintain it, and that gives us the ability to focus primarily on the show that is an uninterrupted show that starts at 8:30 p.m. and goes into the wee hours of the morning," he said.
Admission into the Rake 'n' Scrape Festival is $15 adults, $8 children.
Now that you've figured out that you want to head to Cat Island and the Rake 'n' Scrape Festival for the Labour Day holiday, there are two ways you can get there -- you can go by boat, or you can go by plane. Of the two mailboats the KCT will leave Wednesday, June 1; the Lady Roaslind will leave Thursday, June 2 and arrive into Cat Island on Friday. If taking the boat people that are transportation challenged can take their cars.
With the regular scheduled Sky Bahamas and Bahamasair flights already filled, Isaacs said they are relying on Sky Bahamas to put on extra flights to get more airlift. He said people could also go to the general aviation section of the airport, where they can combine and get planes to take them to the island. Flight time to Cat Island is 20 minutes; regular mail boat sailing time is eight to 10 hours.
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