Going to Junkanoo? These 6 tips will go a long way:

1. Research Junkanoo before you go - Junkanoo has a long storied history - you will most definitely enjoy the festival more if you know what Junkanoo is and how it came to be!  The Junkanoo museum (Delancy Street downtown) is a perfect place to start.

2. Be sure to talk with locals at the festival - Most Bahamians are proud to give their perspective and opinions on Junkanoo and the groups involved and they are bound to teach you something about Junkanoo or The Bahamas.

3. Sleep on New Year’s Eve! - Junkanoo goes from 2am to 10am on New Year's Day, so getting some sleep the day prior is a must if you want to stay awake for those awesome 6am performances, which are fantastic!!!

4. The ticket office is difficult to find - Be sure to ask a local for directions, or take a taxi, this will eliminate the frustration of finding it on your own.

5. Bring something soft to sit on - The bleachers can get pretty uncomfortable after a few hours.

6. The Rawson Square ticket is worth the money - There are plenty of options for seating at different price ranges.  The Rawson Square tickets are worth the money as these seats provide the best view of the festivities and the Junkanoo groups seem to step up their game as they pass Rawson Square.  Also, the Rawson Square seats are close to the restrooms and the food/drink vendors.

Chris

My Junkanoo Experience:

I visited Nassau and attended the New Year’s Junkanoo 2014!  The parade was absolutely awesome!  The costumes, music, and energy throughout the night were truly amazing.  Even at 6:00 am it was actually difficult not to be dancing in the bleachers with hundreds of performers.  The atmosphere and energy of the entire festival were most impressive. It was clear that this was a one-of-a-kind event and we were extremely fortunate to be able to experience such a unique cultural experience.  If you are looking for that “authentic” experience, this is a must-do in Nassau!!!  The crowd is mostly made up of Bahamians and it is an excellent way to mingle with folks from Nassau and get away from the traditional tourist activities.  I would definitely recommend Junkanoo to any visitor! -- Especially those that enjoy culture, art, and learning from local people when they travel abroad.

Chris

The Power of Hindsight

Get some rest:  You’re going to need it.  Especially for the New Year’s Eve parade.  The parade doesn’t actually get going until about 3am finishing around 11am.  I don’t care what kind of a night person you are.  Come 6 or 7, you’re going to start feeling it. Try and sneak a long nap during the day.

Get tickets prior in advance:  There is really only one way to get tickets, and that is a very seedy looking, dark, unmarked box office in downtown Nassau.  The line to get tickets on the evening of the parade can be very long so head downtown a few days early and pick up your tickets.  You’ll avoid the crowd and save an hour or so.

No comparisons:  If you try to compare this Mardi-Gras or Carnival, you’ll waste your time.  This is a different celebration with different roots.  Do a little research to discover the true origins of Junkanoo and embrace it for what it is.

Put the camera down: Trust me, I know how tempting it is.  But in order to truly experience Junkanoo, you need to be on your feet with dancing with hands in the air.  The costumes are so grand and intricate that most cameras won’t do them justice anyway.

Map it out ahead of time:  Know how to make a quick exit.  Signage and markings are almost non-existent and before you know it you’ll end up in a fenced in dead end.  Know where the cabs are. And preferably stay in a group.  Remember, your still in an economically struggling downtown area in the middle of the night. The usual riff raff are out and about.

Come prepared:  A roll of toilet paper, little bottle of hand sanitizer are two of the must brings.  Port-johns are well located but not well equipped.

Don't worry about going hungry:  They have that very well covered.  Wings, fries, conch fritters, plantains, beer, you know, your typical fair fare, but with a Bahamian twist.

Seriously, get some rest: You don’t want to be that person (me) nodding off in the bleachers.   

-Andres Arce

Your Food is Coming...

I went into this trip knowing very little about the Bahamas.  The little knowledge I did have was probably similar to everyone else, abundances of sand, sun, sea, and rum. I’ve known few people that have been there, and never met anyone from there.  What we saw was similar to what I expected.  A tourism destination country that has a very clear divide between the tourist resorts and the native Bahamians.  Once we were able to cross that divide (getting off of Paradise Island) we were able to absorb more of the true Bahamas.  Often times in the US, we are always in rush.  When we go to a restaurant we want to be seated right now and we want our drinks immediately, anything over a 5 minute wait seems more like an eternity.  There is a different mindset it the Bahamas, a mindset of leisure.  Here, a server would rather start a conversation with you for 10 minutes than actually take your order.  What I learned is that in order to have a good time here, you really have to reset your standards. You’ll get your food, it might take 45 minutes, but you’ll get it.  I had to remind myself that I was in the Bahamas and not in DC where I usually only have about 30 minutes to get lunch.

-Andres Arce