Freetown Fire Hearth Festival Returns

GRAND BAHAMA, BAHAMAS — Following disruptions due to COVID-19 the Freetown Fire Hearth Festival returns this Whit Monday, May 29 in East Grand Bahama. The Bahamas Ministry of Tourism, Investments & Aviation (BMOTIA) is partnering with the Fire Hearth Committee to stage this year’s 6th annual festival at Freetown Beach, a new venue.

The major feature of the festival, the Fire Hearth Cooking Competition also known as “fire half” highlights the tradition of cooking outdoors. This year, competitors will participate in making conch n’ grits using the fire controls. The festival will also feature traditional games such as watermelon eating competition, washboard, and tin tub competitions, as well as live entertainment by Nishie LS and other Bahamian performances. Festival hours are between 11 a.m. and 7 p.m.

“Our government declared that Grand Bahama ought to return to being the entertainment capital of The Bahamas,” said Sen. James Turner. “What I see unfolding in East Grand Bahama is nothing short of fantastic.” 

He said, “The Minister for Grand Bahama, Honourable Ginger Moxey, expressed some time ago that all sectors on Grand Bahama from east to west have a role to play, and we have seen this unfolding before our eyes – from the McClean’s Town Conch Cracking to the High Rock Sea Festival to now Freetown Fire Hearth Festival.”

Nuvolari Chotoosingh, Manager, BMOTIA Niche Markets, said, “It is a pleasure on behalf of the Bahamas Ministry of Tourism to return to Freetown for the Fire Hearth Festival. We not only look forward to seeing citizens, residents, and visitors at this event, but we are also encouraging the corporate community to support this event and all other cultural events on Grand Bahama Island.”

Jayson Cooper, Public Relations Representative for the Freetown Committee, was optimistic about the return of the festival, which he said would not only provide an economic boost but also “show the strength and unity among our people”. 

The Ministry of Tourism will be providing free ground transportation to the festival for visitors at the various hotels in the Freeport area starting at 1p.m., with the last return bus leaving the festival grounds at 6 p.m.