It has been nine months since our very successful Island Roots Heritage Festival on Green Turtle Cay in the Bahamas. We are very busy planning our second festival to be held May 19-22, 2005. Reef Relief will be hosting the opening reception at the Captain Roland Roberts House Environmental Center the evening of May 19th. Since our last festival Abaco has been hit by two major hurricanes. Through hard work and determination much of the damage has been repaired and our community spirit is very much alive. Just two months after the hurricanes we came together as a community to enjoy a Guy Fawkes Family Fun Night. The overwhelming support of this event encouraged the committee to push on with plans for the May 2005 event.

If you missed our first festival, you will have no doubt heard about what a great time we all had. We were blessed with 3 beautiful days and a beautiful location to celebrate our heritage and our ties to Key West, our sister city in Florida. We enjoyed Bahamian food, music, games and an arts and craft show. Junkanoo, The Key West Choral, Amy Roberts Primary School, The Gully Roosters and the world renowned Royal Bahamas Police Force Band entertained us. And what a great time we had reminiscing with old friends and relatives. It was through the hard work of a very dedicated committee, the overwhelming support of the community and the guidance and support of the Ministry of Tourism that our Festival was a huge success!            

This year we are once again planning three exciting days. All of our events will be held at the Festival Site at New Plymouth Settlement Point in Green Turtle Cay. We are once again planning for great Bahamian entertainment, Maypole plaiting, Junkanoo, Old Time Games, great food and of course the Royal Bahamas Police Force Band.   So, please mark your calendar and make plans to join us this year! On May 19-22 the place to be will be Green Turtle Cay!