Events

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.

This is the oldest festival in the country, held the second Tuesday in August every year, and it commemorates the freeing of enslaved Africans in The Bahamas. Residents of Fox Hill celebrate the 1838 emancipation of their ancestors from slavery by the British with church services, Bahamian food and drinks, singing, and dancing.  

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.

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.

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.

Junkanoo, the National Festival of The Bahamas, is an expression of Bahamian art and culture. Large groups parade with elaborate costumes, dancing or playing goatskin drums, horns, bells, or whistles, as thousands watch and dance along.

Majority Rule Day became a public holiday in 2014. It commemorates The Bahamas gaining majority rule for the first time on January 10, 1967, symbolizing the promise of equality, a level playing field, and fair play for all Bahamians.

Along with the emancipation from slavery in 1836, and gaining Independence from Great Britain in 1973, the achievement of Majority Rule is considered one of the most important events in the history of the country.

This holiday commemorates the day when The Bahamas became a fully independent nation on July 10, 1973, separating from the United Kingdom. However, we remain a member of The Commonwealth of Nations.

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.

This is the oldest festival in the country, held the second Tuesday in August every year, and it commemorates the freeing of enslaved Africans in The Bahamas. Residents of Fox Hill celebrate the 1838 emancipation of their ancestors from slavery by the British with church services, Bahamian food and drinks, singing, and dancing.  

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.

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.