Citing poor tickets sales, Chairman of the Junkanoo Corporation of New Providence (JCNP) Silbert Ferguson is encouraging Bahamians to purchase tickets for the upcoming New Year's Day parade, which up to last night was only 25 percent sold out.

"New Year's has been poor in the sense that people don't attend that parade as they do Boxing Day.  So we're asking our customers to purchase tickets," he said last night.

As it relates to Boxing Day ticket sales, Ferguson said he was very pleased with it.

"The parade was sold out on Bay Street.  Shirley Street seats, I don't think they went anywhere.  But that still gives up approximately 90 percent of the parade seats.  So our concentration now goes to the New Year's parade," he added.

Ferguson said that he is hoping for increased sales this year, as last year the corporation was not able to make enough to pay the winning groups their prize money.  Prize money totals about $350,000 every year.

The Bahamas Telecommunications Company (BTC) recently made a $206,000 contribution to the JCNP to help fund the junior and senior parades, with pledges of donations to follow in future years.

Tickets range from $5 to $45 for both parades. Ferguson said overall he was pleased with the parade and the level of competition.  He said there was only one minor delay.

"We didn't have a late start. The Valley Boys started promptly at 12:01 a.m.  In fact, they were lined up at 11:45 p.m. (on Sunday) and ready to go.  We had one hitch in the parade because Music Makers' lead costume was blocked by another group coming to the parade.  So there was a delay for about 20 minutes.  That was the only hitch," Ferguson revealed.

The chairman said the parade ended sometime after 2 p.m. on Monday.

"All of the groups did a wonderful job in preparing themselves."

Meantime, he noted that the weather was nearly perfect for the parade.

"Thank God.  This is one of the first times that we've had beautiful weather throughout the parade.  I hope for the same type of weather on January 2," Ferguson said.

The New Year's parade is expected to begin on Monday at 1 a.m.

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