The releasing of the land crabs is a sight unto itself, but being able to eat these land crabs cooked 114 ways is enough to make you hop on the boat or plane, or at least find the best way to roll their wheelchair to Andros for the Whit Monday holiday weekend. Add in performances by the Spank Band, Elon "The Crabman" Moxey, Stileet, Veronica Bishop, Geno D, Terez Hepburn, Funky D, KB, Her Majesty's Prison Pop Band, the drumming of John "Chippie" Chipman, a Junkanoo rush-out and you have the All Andros Crab Fest -- an event not to be missed. "It's all love, play, joy and happiness, and a time to get back to our friendly, old-time Bahamian roots where everyone is family and friend," says Peter Douglas, chairman and one of the founders of the All Andros Crab Fest, which will be celebrated today through Monday, June 13 at Queen's Park in Fresh Creek, Andros.  "What makes Crab Fest fun is that you're getting back to one of our deepest sustainable events, as these land crabs are a great cultural part of us as Bahamians." The 14th festival is an attraction for thousands of visitors to the Fresh Creek community for the holiday weekend, based on the heritage and culture, surrounding the crabbing industry.  With anywhere from 8,000 to 15,000 visitors -- Bahamians as well as Europeans and North Americans -- expected to descend on "The Big Yard," Douglas says visitors will get the opportunity to engage in a culinary enjoyment of crab dishes, and learn about land crabs and their cultural significance as well. Events surround Crab Fest all take place at a two-acre site with 40 stalls which make a "U" shape around the perimeter of the grounds with a stage at one end and live crab habitat at the base of the U.  In the middle of this "U" shape is where you will find all the activities that offer some kind of fun for everyone. Crab clipping contests, crab preparation demonstrations, crab culinary contests, a crab dance contest, a crab song contest, biggest crab contest, a crab race contest, means that Androsians who celebrate all things crab will find an activity to engage in. For those that are wary of the land crab, there's still a number of fun activities to participate in that doesn't involve a crustacean snapping a gigantic claw at you -- like watermelon eating, onion peeling and coconut barking. Rochell Mackey's story telling will be the thing for those people that just like to sit quietly and listen.  Students from Central and North Andros Schools will also stage a cultural performance contest surrounding the Andros crabbing culture.  So there is a form of entertainment for everyone that attends. "Crab Fest is fun because you're getting back to one of our deepest sustainable events and we're very proud of this festival as it's the fastest growing Family Island festival.  The attraction at the Crab Fest site is the cultural crab culinary dishes available for purchase, the live crab habitat, the release of hundreds of crabs at the opening of the event, also the entertainment and stars."

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