Cat Island Rake & Scrape Festival
Cat Island celebrates rake-and-scrape — the Bahamas' roots music of accordion, goatskin drum and a saw played with a screwdriver.
- 3 June 2027 → 5 June 2027 (expected, dates TBC)
- Arthur's Town, Bahamas
- When3 June 2027 → 5 June 2027 (expected, dates TBC) · Held every year over the Bahamian Labour Day weekend in early June at Arthur's Town.
- DatesExpected, dates TBC: Thursday to Saturday of the Bahamian Labour Day weekend (2026: 4–6 June). The organiser usually announces them in May; check the official site before you book anything you can't cancel (checked 28 October 2026).
- WhereArthur's Town, Cat Island
- CategoryCultural & Traditions · cultural
- GuideOur Bahamas travel guide →
Cat Island celebrates rake-and-scrape — the Bahamas' roots music of accordion, goatskin drum and a saw played with a screwdriver.
Rake-and-scrape is the traditional folk music of the Bahamas, built around an accordion, a goatskin drum and — the defining sound — a carpenter's saw 'scraped' with a screwdriver or knife. Cat Island is its spiritual home, and each June, over the Labour Day weekend, Arthur's Town hosts the Rake & Scrape Festival: three days of the country's best rake-and-scrape bands, quadrille and heel-and-toe dancing, Bahamian food and a strong sense of a community festival rather than a tourist show.
It pairs naturally with a climb up Mount Alvernia to the Hermitage, and with Cat Island's empty pink-and-white beaches. Dates shift with the Labour Day holiday (the first Friday of June) and are usually confirmed in May.
Hotels & rentals near Cat Island Rake & Scrape Festival
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Getting there & around on event days
Cat Island has two airstrips — New Bight (TBI) and Arthur's Town (ATC) — served mainly by Bahamasair from Nassau. Arthur's Town, at the north end, is where the festival is held; hire a car, as the island is long and services are sparse.
Where it happens
Getting to the event
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Safety & travel advice
- Before you go, read the UK government's FCDO travel advice for the Bahamas (entry requirements, safety and local laws).
- Flight delayed or cancelled on the way? See our Travel Disruption guide for your rights and live alerts.