Next: 26 to 27 Dec 2026
Junkanoo
A dawn parade in the Bahamas on Boxing Day and New Year's Day: cowbells, goatskin drums, and paper-and-crepe costumes.
When is Junkanoo in 2026?
Junkanoo 2026 runs from 26 to 27 December 2026. Other years: 2027, 26 to 27 December 2027; 2028, 26 to 27 December 2028.
About Junkanoo
Junkanoo is the national festival of the Bahamas, in the pre-dawn hours of 26 December and 1 January. It is thought to be a celebration of the days on which enslaved people were given free time at Christmas, and the origin of the name is argued, with some saying it is for a West African leader, John Canoe. Groups of hundreds of people, called "shacks", parade along Bay Street in Nassau at about 2 a.m., with a rhythm of cowbells, goatskin drums, whistles and horns, a style of music called rush. They dance in enormous, brightly coloured costumes made of cardboard, wire and crepe paper which have been secretly built over the year. The groups are judged and receive prizes for their costumes, music and choreography.
Junkanoo dates: 2026, 2027, 2028
| Year | Junkanoo date |
|---|---|
| 2026 | 26 to 27 December 2026 |
| 2027 | 26 to 27 December 2027 |
| 2028 | 26 to 27 December 2028 |
What is eaten
- conch fritters
- peas and rice
- coconut tart
Also part of it, and being written: Cowbell (The core of the music.), Nassau (The city of the parade.), Rush (The music style.).
Written by the EveryParampara desk with AI assistance. Background: "Junkanoo" on Wikipedia. Customs differ from place to place and family to family. If this is your tradition and we have it wrong, tell us.