SPRING FESTIVAL 2008 - The Ministry of Tourism officially opened its Spring Festival 2008, an Authentically Grand Bahamian Gift and Craft Show featuring the professional work of award winning handicraft specialists and artists from Grand Bahama, Abaco and Nassau. The event will be held on Taino Beach on Friday, April 4th, and Saturday, April 5th. The Spring Festival is intended to become an annual event that will promote and sell the work of Bahamians producing world class, authentically Bahamian products. Pictured are Ministry of Tourism representatives and Bahamian handicraft specialists whose work will be displayed at the event. (BIS Photo/Vandyke Hepburn) From left to right: Steven Burrows, Burns House; Charmaine Hall, Freeport Harbour Co.; Clement Knowles, Burns House; Solo Williams, Solo-Rent-a-Tent; Judith Major, GBMOT; Antonius Roberts, artist; Sanique Culmer, GBMOT; Kerry Fountain, Exec. Dir. of GBMOT; Charmaine Johnson, Bahamas Hotel Assoc.; Cathy Laing, Cacique Award winner; Diane Wildgoose, Love97FM; and Pernell Poitier, Burns House.

National gastronomic delights such as, “cracked” lobster, garlic crab legs, conch and crab fritters, conch salad, crab and rice, stuffed crabs, deep fried fresh fish and sweet roasted corn; coconut, pineapple and guava treats will be available at Spring Festival 2008, and served hot, as attendees enjoy the variety of live entertainment provided by recording artists Desmardo Finley and Wilfred Solomon and top radio Dee Jays Shelly Carey and Hubert “G”, this coming Friday and Saturday April 4^th and 5^th at Taino Beach.

According to event coordinator Sanique Culmer, “We are celebrating things Bahamian and many favourite local beverages will be highlighted.”   Topping the list she said “are the Bahamian made Kalik beer, sky juice and local sodas.”

Spring Festival 2008 an Authentically “Grand” Bahamian Gift, Craft and Fine Art Show has been created by the Ministry of Tourism to showcase the talents of local craft specialists as well as the culinary skills of vendors who prepare native Bahamian dishes and the manufacturers of Bahamian made beverages.

Shelly Carey of Love 97FM will host the Friday session proceedings live leading off with The Backyard Dancers Quadrille at 6:00p.m., followed by the official opening by Minister of Tourism and Aviation, Hon. Neko C. Grant, at 7:00p.m; the Bahamian Fantasy Wedding; Cyril “Dry Bread” Ferguson in concert.   The evening will be closed out with a festive Junkanoo rush out at 10:00p.m.

Cool 96FM DJ, Hubert “G” of Cool 96FM will host the event from noon to 4:00p.m.   Fun activities will include the popular Kalik baby bottle sucking contest, sugar cane sucking contest, a conch cracking demonstration, and Bahamian ‘dance’ contest and demonstration led by the New Wave Dancers.

Saturday evening entertainment will begin at 6:00p.m., with Rake n Scrape, recording Artist Desmardo Finley at 8:00 p.m., Wilfred Solomon at 9:00p.m., and the Junkanoo rush out.    

Grand Bahama Spring Festival Craft Specialists are:   Cacique Award winner, Cathy Laing, Authentically Cathy;  Shauna Joseph, Joseph & Joseph Shell Craft; Lorraine Gibson, Homemade Jams, Jellies & Preserves;  Gina Marche, Uniquely Gina’s; Tiffany Wildgoose, Out Island Essentials; Kyron Cooper, PRAVADA Kyron Cooper, Erica Rolle, Erica Monique & Co. “Bahamian Girl Enterprise; Alisa Streather, Art of The Bahamas; Dorothy Goldsmith, Docagold Trading; Siane Taylor, Reli Great Bargains; Peggy Johnson; Synthia McKenzie; Synthia’s Homemade Sand Collection; Sidney Pratt, Glass Art, and Fragrance of The Bahamas, Aromatherpy.

Guest Craft Specialist from Nasau are:   Celestine Albury, Celestine Woodcarving; Sharon Ferguson, The Rose of Sharon of Homemade Soaps; Ann Cooper, Sterlin/Ann Creations; 4. Christine Curtis, Christine’s Straw Work and Beatrice Gardiner, Beagard House of Bags.

The lone representative from Abaco is Laverne Maynard of Lavern’s Gifts and Things; and Paula Boyd-Farrington will host the Bahamian Authors exhibit.

Grand Bahama Fine Artists Chantal Bethel, Sheldon Saint and Claudette Dean will show their work at Sculpture Pointe, Junkanoo Beach Club.   And the five guest artists from Nassau are:   Cacique Award winner, Sculptor/Painter Antonius Roberts; Blacksmith, Tyrone Ferguson; Ceramacist, Jessica Maycock-Colebrook and Painters John Cox and Maxwell Taylor.

Judges for the Best Overall Display and Product Award, among the Grand Bahama exhibitors are Karen Bain-Ferguson, Port Lucaya Market Place; H. Rudy Sawyer, BAIC; Donald Dean, Architects Incorporated; Angela Gibson, Grand Bahama Chamber of Commerce; Rowena Rolle, Ministry of Tourism, Nassau Bahamas; and Jeritzan Outten, Ministry of Tourism, Grand Bahama.

All craft specialists are eligible for the People’s Choice Award.

The sponsors are the Grand Bahama Island Tourism Board, Freeport Harbour Company, Burns House, Love 97FM, Discovery Cruise Line, FOCOL and Junkanoo Beach Club and Solo Rent-a-Tent.