What is Junkanoo?
Junkanoo's roots go back to the time of slavery, when enslaved Africans in the Bahamas were given a few days off around Christmas and celebrated with music, dance and masks. After emancipation the festival lived on and grew into the national celebration of Bahamian culture. Where its name comes from is still debated.
Today large groups such as the Valley Boys, the Saxons and Roots spend most of the year choosing a theme, building costumes from cardboard and crêpe paper, and rehearsing their music. Judges award prizes for music, costume and dancing.
When is Junkanoo? Dates for 2026 and 2027
2026
- Saturday 26 December 2026Boxing Day parade on Bay Street
2027
- Friday 1 January 2027New Year's Day parade
- Sunday 26 December 2027Boxing Day parade
The parades always fall on Boxing Day (26 December) and New Year's Day. Start times are set each year: since 2024 the Boxing Day parade has started at around 9 pm on Christmas night. Bad weather can delay a parade.
How people celebrate
- The “rush”: groups dance down Bay Street to goatskin drums, cowbells, whistles and brass, in costumes that can be taller than the people wearing them.
- Spectators book seats in the stands along Bay Street, or watch from the pavement through the night.
- Rival groups compete fiercely, and their themes are kept secret until parade night.
Good to know
- The drums and cowbells are very loud: bring ear protection for small children.
- Wear comfortable shoes and expect a long night: the parades go on until morning.
- Drummers warm their goatskin drums over small fires to tighten the skins and keep their sound.