Junkanoo

Junkanoo is the national cultural festival of The Bahamas, inscribed in 2023 on UNESCO's Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. The Bahamas Ministry of Tourism describes it as an act of resilience that began when enslaved West Africans were given three days off at Christmas to celebrate their heritage. Its main parades take over Bay Street and the downtown streets of Nassau on Boxing Day (Saturday 26 December 2026) and New Year's Day (Friday 1 January 2027).

Organised groups of up to 1,000 people spend most of the year making costumes from crepe paper, cardboard and feathers, some up to 15 feet tall, and rehearsing their music and dance routines. On parade night they "rush" along the route to goatskin drums, cowbells, whistles and brass horns, and are judged in competition.

Timings

The parades start in the early hours after midnight and go on through the night. Start times for 2026–27 have not been published yet; for 2024–25 the Ministry of Tourism announced 9pm for the Boxing Day parade and 2am for the New Year's Day parade.

Beyond Nassau

Grand Bahama, Bimini, Eleuthera and Abaco hold their own parades, and the Exuma Junkanoo Parade is in George Town on Sunday 3 January 2027. Junior Junkanoo, the schools' parade for ages 3 to 18, follows later on Bay Street (in 2026 it was on 29 January).

Taking part

Anyone is welcome to join a group as long as they follow the National Junkanoo Association's rules, and visitors can arrange it through their hotel.

• Boxing Day parade: the first of Nassau's two main judged parades, on Bay Street on Saturday 26 December 2026.
• New Year's Day parade: the second, starting in the early hours of Friday 1 January 2027.
• The music: goatskin drums, cowbells, whistles and brass horns, played by the groups as they rush.
• The costumes: handmade from crepe paper, cardboard and feathers, some up to 15 feet tall.
• Exuma Junkanoo Parade: George Town, Sunday 3 January 2027, the last parade of the festive season.

• Downtown Nassau: Bay Street and the parade route are on your doorstep, and FCDO notes regular police patrols downtown.
• Paradise Island: resort hotels across the bridge; the water taxi to Nassau takes about 10 minutes.
• Cable Beach: beach resorts west of downtown, linked to it by jitney buses along the Cable Beach strip.

Fly into Lynden Pindling International Airport (NAS), the main international airport for Nassau and Paradise Island. On the island you can use taxis, private transfers, shuttles or rental cars, and jitneys (local buses) run through downtown Nassau and along Cable Beach. The parades follow Bay Street, Shirley Street and nearby downtown streets; the cruise terminal at Prince George Wharf is in downtown Nassau. See our Nassau & Paradise Island guide.

Flight delayed or cancelled on the way? See our Travel Disruption guide for your rights.

Seats in the stands along the parade route are sold in advance through the ALIV Events app (e-tickets, with seating guides) and at ALIV stores in Harbour Bay, Cable Beach and Marathon Mall. The Ministry of Tourism recommends buying early, because seats at Rawson Square and near Scotiabank tend to sell out quickly, and many hotel concierges can help with tickets or packages. Prices and the on-sale date for 2026–27 have not been published; for 2024–25, tickets went on sale on 4 December.

The parades start after midnight and last for hours, so plan to be up through the night. December is warm: the Ministry of Tourism puts temperatures in the low 80s °F. Buy seats early and ask your hotel concierge for help. Keep valuables out of sight and don't leave drinks unattended: FCDO warns that petty theft and pickpocketing increase during festivals. After dark, travel in groups and avoid unlit areas.

No official accessibility information is published for the Junkanoo parade route or the stands. Before you book seats, contact the Bahamas Ministry of Tourism (tourism@bahamas.com, +1 242 302 2000) or your hotel.

FCDO advises staying in downtown Nassau, where there are regular police patrols, travelling in groups after dusk and keeping valuables in a safe place. It warns that the risks of pickpocketing and of sexual assault increase during festivals, so don't leave drinks unattended.

• 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.