This Bahamian cultural festival kicked off at Fort Charlotte’s carnival’s site with the first ever Junkamania music contest. Junkamania is a fusion of Junkanoo with other forms of popular music such as jazz, classical, rhythm and blue. The winners were as follow:

1. Ambassa - $15,000 cash prize

2. Fiesta Fun Group - $10,000 cash prize

3. Jane Doh and the Royals - $7,500 cash prize

The festivities began at around noon on Friday with Rake-and-Scrape at the Carnival Village. Tonight at 8pm the Music Masters top ten finalists will compete for the $20,000 cash prize at a super concert on Clifford Park. The headliners will be Bahamian grammy award winner Baha Men and Carnival regular Machel Montano along with one of the top music acts from Haiti. This concert will end with a midnight rush on Clifford Park starting at midnight.

All Bahamians are encouraged to “Jump in Line” on Saturday around 11am as the participatory “Road Fever” street festival will be held. It is the people’s Junkanoo Carnival rush out. Road Fever will start at the Thomas A. Robinson National Stadium.

Security will be strictly enforced as the police will be prevalent. Parking will be available in the parking lot of the Bank of The Bahamas. Parking is also available on Chippingham Road and Perpall Tract.

Festival Commission officials confirm that some 500 musicians will be performing during this carnival festival. Additionally, there are several hundred Junkanoo practitioners involved in this event. International media from Europe, Canada and the United States are on the ground to cover this event, literally placing The Bahamas on the international stage.

Finally, those who are not participating in Carnival are advised to remain out of the area as roads will be closed to vehicular traffic at certain hours during the festival.