The Nassau Guardian - Ministry of Tourism Junkanoo Summer organizers are making sure that crowds will run, not walk, to this year's street fest. That's right, the Junkanoo Summer Festival, set to begin this Saturday, will echo the Goombay Summers of years gone by with dancing, live Bahamian music, conch-cracking, crab-catching, Bahamian food tasting, literary readings, onion peeling, coconut barking and just plain, ole' fun in the street at the Woodes Rogers Wharf.

Junkanoo Summer's physical boundaries will stretch from Charlotte Street back to Navy Lyon Road, but its potential for attracting the crowds it is known remains unfettered. For the next four Saturdays in July, the Ministry of Tourism has planned an 11-hour street party expected to catch the eyes and ears of some 15,000 cruise ship visitors and thousands more residents.

"We're hoping to bring that back with Junkanoo street dancers who will be performing several times throughout the day," said Christine Ferguson, general manager of events and entertainment at the ministry. "It will be reminiscent of the Goombay dancers back then."

The inaugural festival will feature the Godfather of Bahamian music, Ronnie Butler, along with popular entertainers Elon Moxey and Veronica Bishop in a Bahamian music revue at 8 p.m. With a little something for everyone in a day of activities set to unfold into the night, the festival will also feature a gospel hour from 7 p.m. to 8 p.m. Nehemiah Hield and Barak will perform this week. Festival organizers will keep the public posted on the entertainment lineup for the following weeks.

As usual, the festival, which was named Junkanoo in June two years ago and had been held at Arawak Cay, will play host to a variety of craft stalls. The familiar display of Bahamian straw, shell, coconut craft and handmade jewelry will be available. A newly returned literary corner, manned by the Bahamas International Literary Festival (BILF), will offer viewers another, and at times underexposed, form of Bahamian craft. Bahamian writers are expected to give readings and dramatic performances at the site.

"We're hoping that this area is given more prominence," said Ferguson.

The entire event is sponsored by the Ministry in conjunction with Burns House, Caribbean Bottling and the Downtown Nassau partnership.

And the star of the show — Junkanoo, will shine throughout the day and night with street dancing and a rushout at 10 p.m.

"Junkanoo Summer over the years has become a Bahamian staple," said Ferguson. "Every year Bahamians look forward to Junkanoo Summer and we expect this year to have the same amount of local participation."

Junkanoo Summer Festival

When: July 4, 11, 18 and 25

Time: 12 noon to 10 p.m.

Where: Woodes Rodgers Wharf

Entertainment: Live Bahamian bands, traditional dances, local crafts and literature, Bahamian foods, heritage contests and more.