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Randal Fawkes Labour Day

Sir Randal Fawkes established Labour Day in 1961, and it is now named in his honor. On this holiday, members of the labor unions from different organizations, as well as political parties, march in a large parade through the streets of downtown Nassau beginning around 10:00 a.m.

National Heroes Day

The second Monday in October, formerly known as "Discovery Day" or "Columbus Day," has now been dedicated to honoring Bahamian national heroes since 2013. An official National Heroes Day ceremony is held with a keynote speech by the Prime Minister, and heroes from a cross-section of civil society are celebrated with a week of activities.

Many people enjoy the day with family gatherings and beach picnics.

Emancipation Day/August Monday

This holiday, on the first Monday in August, celebrates the emancipation of slaves in the British colonies in 1834. It is celebrated with a Junkanoo Rush-out, a day of beaching, sailing, and regattas in most islands.

On New Providence, old slave villages such as Gambier in the west and Fox Hill in the east have their own special celebrations.

Boxing Day Holiday

This holiday was granted to slaves the day after Christmas, when they were given the boxes left over from their master’s gifts. These boxes usually were sent from England and were well-crafted from fine wood. Hence the holiday is known as Boxing Day.

Junkanoo parades take place on some islands to commemorate the day.

Christmas Day

The Christmas holiday is celebrated in The Bahamas with many carnivals and festivals. We also have adopted many of the same traditions and customs of other countries. These include gift-giving, feasting and sending Christmas cards.