BHTA’s Tru Tru Bahamian Festival a Celebration of All Things Bahamian
It is estimated, Saturday saw visitor attendance rival local attendance for the first time in history. Cruise passengers, hotel guests and locals enjoyed all things Bahamian at Tru Tru including varying genres of live Bahamian music, The Royal Bahamas Police Force Band; Plaiting the Maypole, a Junkanoo Rush Out by the Cacique Award winning Junkanoo Commandos; delicious Bahamian food and drink, art, craft, handmade straw products including straw baskets created by traditional straw weaver Norma Jean Knowles from Red Bays, Andros.
Over 70 Bahamian artisans sold and showcased beautiful exotic jewelry; candles, Tru Tru Bahamian hot pepper sauce, tea, spices, honey, conch shell crafts; also present were the now famous Bahamian Boa and adorable baby sea turtles, thanks to the participation of Ardastra Zoo, Gardens and Conservation Center and Dolphin Cay! Families enjoyed games such as ring play, hopscotch, hula hoop, sack races and kicking a soccer ball with members of the Bahamas Soccer Team!
The annual Hot, Spicy and Flavorful Pepper contest was held once again to the delight of contestants and participants alike! Kira Horton, purveyor of Wildcrafted Base Hot Pepper Sauces & Seasonings, successfully defended her 2019 title, winning the 2020 Tru Tru Bahamian Festivals “Most Flavorful Pepper Sauce”; Mama Sassy also took top honors winning the Hot n Spicy category with her Mama Sassy Gourmet Hot Sauce.
The 2020 Festival also held its inaugural Tru Tru Bahamian Art Contest; this year’s theme was “Tru Tru Bahamian Strong; what is it about Bahamian Culture and Customs, that has made Bahamians into the strong, tenacious people we are today”. Six schools participated, showcasing beautiful artwork from students in grades 7-8, 9-10 and 11-12 respectively. The Winners of the competition were Khaila Stuart – St. Anne’s School, grade 7-8 category, Jade George – St. Anne’s School, grade 9-10 category and Savanah Chatton – St. Andrews School, grade 11-10 category. Honorary Mentions: Carlotta Casu – St. Andrews School, grade 7-8 category, Marcai Smith – St. Anne’s School, grade 9-10 category and Joshua Munroe – St. Anne’s School, grade 11-10 category.
“The Tru Tru Bahamian Festival is a labour of love; our small team at the BHTA, and the wonderful people we work with to produce the festival, put their hearts, as well as vast amounts of their own personal time and energy, into making this happen! We do it because we love what we do, and we continue to recognize how important it is to support our local Bahamian entrepreneurs; to promote and support Bahamian culture, traditions, customs as it is precisely those elements which make the Bahamas unique,” said Carlton Russell, President of the BHTA.
Sponsors of the event include The Bahamas Ministry of Tourism, John Watling’s Distillery, Nassau Paradise Island Promotion Board (NPIPB), Paradise Island Tourism Development Association (PITDA), The Bahamas Out Islands Promotion Board (BOIPB), Grand Bahama Island Tourism Board (GBITB), Kalik Beer; Bahamas Waste, The Bahamas Hotel, Restaurant and Employers Association, The Bahamas Hotel Industry Management Pension Fund, The Bahamas Musicians Union, Providence Advisors, The Royal Bahamas Police Force, including the mesmerizing Royal Bahamas Police Force Band, The Pointe, The University of the Bahamas (UB); the Nassau Airport Development Company (NAD), Creative Nassau and Mobile Assist.
View Tru Tru Bahamian Festival 2020 Gallery by Clicking Here!
