BAHAMAS: National Arts Festival Opens in New Providence

#Bahamas, April 26, 2018 – Nassau – Participants and supporters made their way today to the E. Clement Bethel National Arts Festival 2018 in New Providence to witness some of the talent The Bahamas has to offer.  The festival takes place in the capital for two weeks at Church of God Auditorium, Joe Farrington Road, 9:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. each day.

After adjudication in New Providence, the festival will return to the Family Islands to review expansive creative talent there.

The festival is open to amateur Bahamians of all ages (unless the category is specified) who can showcase artistic abilities in categories such as dance, music, drama while they compete for different awards.

Tuesday, April 24, 2018 marked the second day of the festival where students from different schools, both government and private, competed in every age category.   First graders from Queen’s College sang familiar Bahamian tunes such as “Oh My Andros” by Elon Moxey and “Church Out Crab Crawling” by Eddie Minnis and Ronnie Butler in unison.

The ‘big kids’ from C.R. Walker High School gave the audience a treat by performing popular oldies like “Chain Gang” by Sam Cooke — and brought it right back to the present day with “All About that Bass” by Meghan Trainor, all in acappella.

Students from Uriah McPhee honoured The Bahamas’s African heritage with folk dancing, while adorned in African face painting and head scarves.

By: Sydnei L. Isaacs

(BIS Photos/Raymond A. Bethel, Sr.)