The Bahamas celebrates New Year’s Eve with Junkanoo, a colorful parade traditionally held after midnight.
Junkanoo features elaborate costumes, dancing, cowbells, whistles, drums, and large organized groups known as shacks or parade groups. The major New Year’s Day parade takes place in Nassau, on New Providence Island, and begins in the early hours after New Year’s Eve. Groups compete in categories that can include music, costume, and overall presentation.
The festival’s history is linked to the African heritage of Bahamian communities, although the precise origin of the name and early form is debated. Junkanoo is not exclusive to New Year’s celebrations: a major parade is also held on Boxing Day, December 26. It is also distinct from Trinidad and Tobago’s Carnival, another Caribbean festival known for costumes and music but associated with a different calendar period and cultural history.