ANNUAL CULINARY FESTIVAL KICKS OFF WITH PORT LUCAYA LAUNCH
FREEPORT, GRAND BAHAMA – The highly anticipated Grand Bahama Island Restaurant Festival (GBI Restaurant Fest) is set to return for its third year, showcasing the island’s vibrant culinary scene from August 3-17, 2024. Organized by the Grand Bahama Island Promotion Board (GBIPB), the festival will celebrate the culinary diversity, talent, and unique foods available on Grand Bahama Island.
The festival kicks off with A Taste of Grand Bahama at the Port Lucaya Marketplace on August 3, from 12-7 pm. This family-friendly launch event will feature live entertainment, activities, and a showcase of the marketplace’s diverse food and beverage vendors. It sets the stage for two weeks of culinary exploration across Grand Bahama Island.
Participating restaurants throughout the island will also offer prix fixe menus from August 3-17 that feature appetizers, entrees, and desserts at set prices, allowing diners to savor the best of Bahamian cuisine. From fine dining establishments to casual beachfront eateries, the festival aims to celebrate the island’s culinary diversity.
This year’s festival theme, “Sustainable Fishing and Farm/Sea to Table Cuisine,” underscores a commitment to environmental stewardship. The GBIPB has partnered with local culinary and conservation communities to promote sustainable practices, educate on responsible consumption, and support local fishing initiatives.
“The GBI Restaurant Fest will be part of a larger educational campaign that aims to connect the local fishing community with restaurants, while raising awareness about respecting and adhering to conch sizing guidelines and lobster/grouper/stone crab seasons,” noted Ian Rolle, Grand Bahama Island Promotion Board Chairman. “It also spreads the message that while lionfish are delicious, they are not native to Bahamian waters and can threaten local marine and coral life due to their lack of natural predators. In an effort to limit the lionfish population, local fishing communities and restaurants have been encouraged to catch and eat these beautiful fish as much as possible.”
In addition to the culinary delights, the festival coincides with the start of the Bahamas lobster season on August 1, as well as cultural events such as the weekly Smith’s Point Fish Fry and the High Rock Sea Festival on August 5. These events further enrich the festival’s experience, offering visitors a glimpse into Grand Bahama’s vibrant cultural tapestry.”
“The GBI Restaurant Fest is not just about food; it’s a celebration of our culture and community,” said Meshell Britton, GBIPB Administrator and Grand Bahama Island Restaurant Fest Committee Member. “It’s an opportunity for visitors and locals alike to experience the richness of our culinary offerings and enjoy the unique flavors that Grand Bahama has to offer.”
Britton added that the August 3 event at the Port Lucaya Marketplace will also showcase more than food and beverage offerings for attendees. “We are very excited to be introducing the ‘A Taste of Grand Bahama at the Port Lucaya Marketplace’ event to this year’s lineup. There will be live entertainment by some of Grand Bahama’s top music artists, food and drink demos, and activities for the entire family. And, while enjoying the delicious food and drink specials available throughout the day, we encourage visitors and residents to check out the straw market and the many other shops and vendors in Port Lucaya.”
Nikia Wells, Public Relations and Brand Lead for the festival, emphasized the diversity of dining options on the island: “Grand Bahama’s food scene is incredibly diverse, with restaurants offering everything from traditional Bahamian dishes to international cuisines. The festival provides a platform for our talented chefs to showcase their creativity while supporting local fishermen and conservation efforts.”
Noting that the GBI Restaurant Fest is just a taste of what is to come for the GBIPB, Chairman Rolle, added, “Food is such an important component of our culture. We celebrate with food. We welcome visitors into our homes with food. We show love and appreciation with food. And, we are excited to allow residents and visitors a chance to come together, relax, and truly enjoy the spirit of the island through the exceptional dishes that the chefs are bringing to the table during the event. This is just one of the initiatives that the GBIPB has introduced in recent years. The Board has completely revamped the Grand Bahama branding with a refreshed look and feel, introduced the Grand Life Magazine, which now reaches over 1.5 million readers worldwide, launched new vibrant visuals and commercials, refreshed our social media channels, and increased our marketing efforts to support exciting programs that raise awareness about the wonders of Grand Bahama globally. We have also introduced a number of events and member perks like informational training sessions. We are already planning for 2025 with a lineup of cultural initiatives, and we hope that visitors and residents alike enjoy this taste of what Grand Bahama has to offer.”
The GBIPB also has an ongoing #LoveGrandBahama campaign that Rolle notes is intended to showcase the beauty of the island. “There are so many reasons to love Grand Bahama, and we want our fellow Bahamians to love and embrace the many wonders of the island. We also want visitors to love Grand Bahama as much as we do, and spread that admiration and appreciation with their friends and family members.”
ABOUT GRAND BAHAMA ISLAND
Grand Bahama is the fourth largest island in The Bahamas and the second most populated island, with almost 55,000 people. The 96-mile length of the island is laden with sixty miles of white sandy shore beaches, mostly located on its southern side – GBI is one island with three unique experiences.
The unique attributes of this island showcase a taste of the ‘best of the Bahamas’. From Sweetings Cay in the East to the quaint settlement of West End in the far west, you will find three main characteristics of this island – vast amounts of Eco treasures ‘wonderland’, modern city landscapes and island life in its purest form.
Travelers have come to know this island paradise as ‘Freeport’, and residents fond of all that the land mass encompasses, proudly boast of calling it by its name ‘Grand Bahama Island’. Today’s travelers seeking to explore and embrace all that it is, will seek out ‘Freeport, Grand Bahama Island’.
With a beautiful mix of boutique hotels, luxury resorts, gorgeous beaches, golf courses, and some of the friendliest people in the world, Grand Bahama Island is one of the most popular islands in The Bahamas.
Located just 55 miles east of Florida and 130 miles north of Nassau (the capital), Grand Bahama Island is nestled among miles upon miles of powder-white sands, nature preserves and emerald-green seas. Our variety of cultural experiences and natural wonders makes Grand Bahama Island ideal for everything from kayaking, dolphin watching and eco-adventures to jeep safaris, scuba diving and bike tours.
