Standing around watching sloops sail at annual regattas could become a thing of the past. A complete package has been created, by members of the Regatta Desk at the Ministry of Youth, Sports and Culture, to shed more light on the indigenous sport.
The new initiative is designed to educate all Bahamians through songs, jingles and photos. The exhibitions will be staged at all major regattas and the songs will be played leading up to the regattas and during the race week. Even though the first part of the new regatta outlook was seen at the St. Valentine's Day Massacre, a boat skulling competition, the official launch didn't take place until Thursday - just in time for the National Family Island Regatta.
The National Family Island Regatta (NFIR) will be held in Georgetown, Exuma, from April 22-28. All in attendance will get an opportunity to see the sport through the lens of photographer Nelson Ranger, the winner of the photographic competition. His work will be on display during the National Family Island Regatta at the Peace and Plenty Hotel, across from the regatta site.
Since there are some 19 regattas on the calendar this year, coordinater at the regatta desk Angelique McKay said different things will be done for all.
"It's because of partnerships with corporate Bahamas that we were able to introduce new initiatives to the regattas," said McKay. "We are relying on the cultural community because of all the new components. There will be a cultural spin seeing that
regattas are so much of the cultural and heritage of The Bahamas. The first regatta was the St. Valentine's Day Massacre, there we introduced skulling boats, so at the National Family Island Regatta which is the regatta in Exuma this month, we are introducing a photographic exhibition, works by an Exuma native photographer. The photographic exhibition is about regattas and it gives you an opportunity to see the races from another standpoint. You are able to get up close and personal as he captured what takes place before and during the races.
"What we are doing is trying to introduce something new to each of the major regattas during the regatta season. The regatta season literally runs from January 1 to October 14. There are like 19 regattas in between, so the next introduction will be the song competition. This is a partnership between the Ministry of Youth, Sports and Culture and Burns House. It is open to Bahamians only. It has to be Bahamian music, either Junkanoo, Rake 'N Scrape or Goombay."
Interested persons are asked to submit their work to the Ministry of Youth, Sports and Culture, attention regatta desk. Application forms are available at the Ministry of Youth, Sports and Culture. The competition starts May 11 and the winner will be announced May 14. The competition will be judged by Bahamian artists 'KB', Colin McDonald and Funky 'D'. The winner will get to perform at the regatta as well as create a jingle for the Kalik beer brand. So far, more than 30 sailors have confirmed their participation in the annual Family Island regatta. Sloops will sail in the A, B and C classes.

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