A cultural treat is in store for patrons at this year's Bahamas Agricultural and Industrial Corporation's BahamArts Festival, October 28-29 at the Arawak Cay culture center, featuring more than 100 booths promoting the diversity of Bahamian art and craft.

Live craft demonstrations on utilizing local resources in plaiting, painting, shelling, and coconut craft; food preparation promoting Bahamian recipes; and the application of traditional medicines are all in store. Sloop regattas, concerts, youth band competitions, and the popular tea party will all be returning.

Ninety-four-year-old Hadassah Poitier was inducted into this year's craft hall of fame during ceremonies at Hill View Seventh-day Adventist Church.

"This year's celebration promises to be bigger and better, as we show off the cream of the crop of our creative minds while offering an even wider diversity of products,"said the BAIC executive chairman, Edison Key. He also says it comes at a time when there is renewed interest in Bahamian art and craft.

"This is especially so as we look forward, with keen anticipation, to the imminent opening of our multi-million dollar craft center downtown Nassau where, and we fervently hope that, only authentically Bahamian products will take center stage,"he said.

Key said some$250 million exit the country to purchase souvenir and craft items for tourists and residents and that most of the imports are generic items with the name Bahamas printed on them.

"Realizing the comfortable livelihoods that used to be, and can now still be realized from a craft and souvenir industry, especially when linked with tourism, BAIC took action,"he said."Armed with the best handicraft tutors, we went throughout the islands teaching all who wanted to learn the fine art of Bahamian handicraft creation, utilizing mainly ingredients found in the local environment.

"It was a smashing success. Thousands have taken the courses resulting in a renaissance, a rebirth in Bahamian art and craft. We want to empower Bahamians to tap into that$250 million thereby generating not just employment but meaningful careers. The fact that our BahamArts Festivals are getting better each year is evidence of the success we are having in inspiring our people to take advantage of wealth-creating opportunities right here at home."

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