Island Roots 2014 – Event Schedule

It’s here! The 2014 Island Roots Heritage Festival starts tomorrow in Green Turtle Cay and runs throughout the weekend. Here’s the event schedule:

FRIDAY, MAY 2
Festival grounds open 11:00 am to 11:30 pm

12:00 Opening Prayer and National Anthems – stage

12:30 Every Child Counts performance – stage

1:00 Royal Bahamas Defense Force Marching Band and Beat Retreat

2:00 Amy Roberts Primary School performance – stage

2:30 Tug of War competition between the schools

3:30 Maypole Plaiting

4:30 Conch Cracking Contest

5:30 Royal Bahamas Defense Force Band march onto site and prelude

6:00 Opening Program

8:00 Teatime Rake and Scrape Band

9:30 Royal Bahamas Defense Force Dance Band

Kids’ Activities

12:00 to 1:00 Kids’ Games – sack races, lime and spoon, etc.

2:30 Tug of War Championship (in front of stage)

3:00 to 4:30 More Kids’ Games

Other Friday Activities Around New Plymouth

11:00 to 6:00 Albert Lowe Museum

12:00 to closing: The Family Tree Research Center in the Gospel Chapel Education Building will be open for everyone to inquire about their family roots. Peter Roberts, administrator of the Bahamas DNA Project and Philip Roberts will help research your family tree. Schedule appointments to ensure time with a researcher to discover your family history.

12:00 to 5:00 – Festival site information tent will be open

Bahamas National Trust Information table and display: Meet with Executive Director Eric Carey, Deputy Executive Director Lynn Gape and Abaco’s Chief Park Warden David Knowles

Informational display boards will feature tributes to the settlements, towns and cays of Abaco, Abaco Parrots, caves and caverns, lighthouses, boat building, Blue Holes and much more.

Friday’s Informative Talks at the Anglican Church Hall
(Located next to St. Peter’s Anglican Church, close to the festival site. Comfortable, air-conditioned seating for 70+ people.)

12:30 Timothy Roberts: Boat Building

2:00 Bahamas National Trust: Conservation in the Bahamas

3:00 Linda Emerson & Todd Pover: One Ocean: Plovers, Plastics & People

4:00 Peter Roberts: The Bahamian DNA Project SATURDAY, MAY 3

12:00 Welcome, Opening Prayer and National Anthem

12:30 Tiny Turtles presentation

1:00 Royal Bahamas Defense Force Marching Band and Beat Retreat

3:00 Tanisha Charlton: Talk on culture and tourism

3:30 Conch Cracking contest

4:00 Maypole demonstration and Ring Play with audience participation

4:30 Raft Race – starts at dinghy dock: groups and families are encouraged to build a raft to compete

5:30 New Directions Gospel Music

6:30 Junkanoo Rush with Green Turtle Slammers

7:30 ELECTION 2012: What Just Happened? – A Bahamian Comedy featuring Michael Pintard, David Wallace, Patrice Johnson, Tamika Forbes, Will Stubbs, and Tawari Rogers

10:00 to closing: Gully Roosters band

Saturday Kid’s Activities

12:00 and throughout the day –  Tug of War, Scavenger Hunt, Sack Races, Lime and Spoon and Conch Horn Blowing

2:00 Uncle Leon’s “Scramble” for kids age 6 and under

Other Saturday Activities on New Plymouth 

9:00 a.m. to closing: The Family Tree Research Center in the Gospel Chapel Education Building will be open for everyone to inquire about their family roots. Peter Roberts, administrator of the Bahamas DNA Project and Philip Roberts will help research your family tree. Schedule appointments to ensure time with a researcher to discover your family history.

11:00 to 6:00 Albert Lowe Museum

12:00 to 5:00 – Festival site information tent will be open

Bahamas National Trust Information table and display: Meet with Executive Director Eric Carey, Deputy Executive Director Lynn Gape and Abaco’s Chief Park Warden David Knowles

Informational display boards will feature tributes to the settlements, towns and cays of Abaco, Abaco Parrots, caves and caverns, lighthouses, boat building, Blue Holes and much more.

Saturday’s Informative Talks at the Anglican Church Hall
(Located next to St. Peter’s Anglican Church, close to the festival site. Comfortable, air-conditioned seating for 70+ people.)

12:30 Richard ‘O Blue’ Jones: Bush Medicine

2:00 Shane Cash: Bahamian Culture

3:00 Timothy Roberts: Boat Building

4:00 Bahamas National Trust: Conservation in the Bahamas

5:00 T.B.A.

6:00 Peter Roberts: Bahamas DNA Project SUNDAY, MAY 4

11:00 am – Sunday Service of Thanksgiving

Please join us at the festival site stage to give thanks for yet another joyous time together, celebrating family and friends and sharing our rich Bahamian heritage with the world.

For more information, drop by the on-site information tent, or visit http://www.islandrootsheritagefestival.com.