Grove Goombay Festival is back in the spring

The Coconut Grove Goombay Festival is back next year, the date is set for Saturday, May 16, 2020 it will at the north side of Elizaberth Virrick Park. This is one of the Grove's original fun events.

The usual Junkanoo parade will begin near McDonald Street then lead down Grand Avenue to Hibiscus Street then to the festival location at the park.

This long-time Grove cultural event is a celebration of the legacy of a Bahamian-rooted community known as Coconut Grove. This is also the perfect time, not to forget that the Bahamas which still needs our help after Hurricane Dorian’s devastation.

For decades the Coconut Grove Bahamian Goombay Festival was an event that involved a colorful Junkanoo Parade. This upcoming festival begins with a parade which includes a Junkanoo band with drums, bells and whistles, Junkanoo colorful costumed dancers, stilt walkers and the Royal Bahamas Police Force Band.

The festival will also have a series of events leading up to and after the main event on Saturday. Other scheduled activities will include an historical cemetery clean-up, reception and unveiling of the official poster for the 39th festival. There will be a contest among art students in local schools to create the poster. And an historical/pioneer luncheon with historical West Grove lecture speaker, and Sunday will end with a Goombay Gospel Service. 

The festival celebrates the Caribbean culture of the Bahamas and the African American vibe of Miami-Dade County. The goal is to provide a historical overview of the Bahamian culture by educating and exposing the public to its rich heritage and traditions.

On location the park will be full of vendors featuring their best Caribbean dishes with fresh conch and seafood and fish along with other delicious one of a kind authentic Caribbean food items. In addition, there will be arts and crafts, fine rums from the islands and spirits and craft beer. Music will be provided DJ Carl Springer J.A.M. Productions and Master of Ceremonies, Copito de Cuba.