CELEBRATING OUR CULTURE; RESTORING OUR COMMUNITY The Best Is Yet To Come!
Nassau, Bahamas – July 30, 2012 – In 2010 they gave you BIG. In 2011 they gave you BIGGER and now the Hatchet Bay Festival Committee promises to give you the BIGGEST festival EVER: Bay Fest 2012- The Best Is Yet To Come! August 1-6th, The Hatchet Bay Festival Committee will give you FIVE unforgettable days of summer unlike any other at Bay Fest 2012 in Hatchet Bay, Eleuthera.
Bay Fest time remains the highlight of the August Monday holiday and represents a time where all Bayman come together to reunite with family and friends and celebrate a community so rich in culture that is showcased in a grandeur way. Mario Smith, Chairman of Bayfest Committee said, “This year’s theme, Celebrating Our Culture; Restoring Our Community was chosen not only to bring focus to the cultural and physical aspects of our community but also to bring attention to those values which made us great as a people.”
In just a few days, hundreds of Bayman, friends of Bayman and Eleutherans alike will descend on the island of Eleuthera. If you’ve ever attended a Bay Fest there is one thing that is evident and that is that it keeps getting better and better. Smith acknowledged that every year following Bay Fest, the committee comes together to evaluate the festival and immediately start planning for the next year to ensure the festival grows to be better than the last.
“What many persons may not understand is that festivals such as these are the lifeline of many Family Island Communities especially in tough economic times. Festivals such as Bayfest drive domestic tourists to the island which in turn creates positive economic activity if only for a short while.” said Smith.
And what can party revelers and festival goers expect at Bay Fest 2012? Bay Fest has been known to set the bar high in bringing the best in Bahamian talent to the island. If you think last year’s festival was a success get ready to be wowed! This year’s festival will showcase another impressive lineup of Bahamian All-Stars. From “Rake n’ Scrape Thursday” showcasing the BEST home grown RED DIRT talent, to “Phatt Friday”: a Bahamian Mardi Gras that promises to be a party for the grown and sexy featuring top Bahamian artist Dillon D-Mac McKenzie’ to The Pandora Gomez Cultural Night which will highlight all that is indigenous to the close-knit community of Hatchet Bay.
“What you can expect is a taste of the Bay which will be a showcase of true down home talent” said Smith. Cultural Saturday will feature the Hatchet Bay Junkanoo Group, winners of the All Eleuthera Boxing Day Junkanoo Parade, the Spanish Wells Band, the Hatchet Bay Dinner Band who continue to showcase their talents on the international stage, the BayFest Dancers and a down home Bahamian cultural fashion show. In addition, organizers say this year, the festival will also incorporate some of the cultural aspects of the community that many may not be aware of such as the Quadrille Dances. With the sounds of the Police Force Pop Band, Cultural Saturday will give you the best of the bay.
And there’s more… Serenade Sunday will let you relax and enjoy Sunday’s best at a gospel concert featuring the melodious Hatchet Bay Voices while you croon to the sweet sounds of Jazz in the Park. Capping the night will be the electrifying and the most revered entertainer at Bay Fest, Geno D. Entertainment for each night will begin at 7:00 PM. Other notable highlights include: the Community Church Service to be held at Harvest Time Tabernacle, the Frederick “Fergie” Ferguson Fishing Tournament, Junkanoo Rush-outs, Cultural Dance Shows, an Androsia Fashion Show, the BayFest Beach Bash, a Hatchet Bay HoopStars round robin tournament.
Sponsors for BayFest 2011 include the Bahamas Telecommunications Company (BTC), Bahamas Fast Ferries and Southern Air. For more information on the Hatchet Bay Festival, please visit our website at www.hatchetbay.org, our facebook page at www.facebook.com/HBFest or contact Mario Smith at info@hatchetbay.org.
