The Island of The Bahamas Tourist Office Florida Hosts A Toasts to 50 Years of Independence at Island SPACE Caribbean Museum.
FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (13 July 2023) – In celebration of The Bahamas’ Golden Jubilee, the Bahamas Tourist Office (BTO) Plantation Sales Team hosted an immersive and interactive evening of Bahamian fine art, culture and cuisine to commemorate the 50th Independence anniversary and celebrate the historic partnership between its trade, travel and media partners. The recent event was held at the Island SPACE Caribbean Museum in the Broward Mall.
The event welcomed Curt Hollingsworth, Bahamas Counsel General in Miami, and staff members at the Consulate Office, as well as members of the National Association of The Bahamas (NAB) to take part in the celebrations. The “Toast to 50” featured a cultural explosion of Bahamian food, music and art. Some 20 partners were given a special opportunity to participate in a private paint and sip highlighting the beauty of the country with renowned Bahamian artist Preston Hanna.
A special Bahamian exhibit at the museum was also launched during the celebration. The exhibit featured an art showcase by Preston Hanna entitled “Kollide-O-Scope”; a fashion showcase by Bahamian designer David Rolle entitled “House of Raphelita x Harl Taylor” and several Junkanoo pieces specially commissioned for the exhibit.
Jennifer Gardiner-Bannister, BTO General Manager Global Sales & Marketing, said: “We are bringing the renaissance of The Bahamas back to Florida. Many of these small communities started with Bahamians, and we want to make sure that future generations know about the heritage of The Bahamas.”
“We hope to facilitate the process of adding more Bahamian focused pieces at the museum in order to give visitors a stroll down memory lane on the history of The Bahamas over the period of 50 years and beyond.”
Added Clifford Adderley, BTO District Sales Manager: “We have invited our Bahamas Specialists, airline partners, cruise partners and media partners to come and celebrate our Golden Jubilee with us. We want to say a special thank you to all who have continued to support the Islands of The Bahamas over the years and echo that The Bahamas is still the number one tourist destination in the Caribbean.”
“We encourage everyone in the Broward and surrounding areas to visit the museum to view our dynamic Bahamian exhibits, take photos, share and celebrate The Bahamas and our rich culture.”
The night ended with an explosive Junkanoo performance by Florida based group Island Groove. The museum’s Bahamas showcase which opened on 1 June is expected to run until 30 July. Friends of The Bahamas can continue to support the art and culture of Bahamian talent through our various partnerships with Island SPACE Caribbean Museum and the upcoming “Sip & Splash” on 14 July and “Artist Talk” on 15 July with Preston Hanna.
You can read the original article on The Bahamas website here.
About Island SPACE
Island Society for the Promotion of Artistic and Cultural Education (Island SPACE) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to the advancement of arts, culture, history, and educational initiatives that represent the Caribbean region, in South Florida and the broader diaspora.
The public is invited to visit the museum Thursdays through Saturdays from 11:00 a.m. through 7:00 p.m. and Sundays from 11:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. General museum entry is $10 per adult and $5 per child. Donations, sponsorships, memberships and volunteer commitments are encouraged. Visit islandspacefl.org to learn about this unique experience and other activities and exhibitions at Island SPACE Caribbean Museum.
Island SPACE is supported in part by the State of Florida, Department of State, Division of Arts and Culture, the Florida Council on Arts and Culture, Florida Humanities, the National Endowment for the Arts, Florida Power & Light Company, Grace Foods, Broward Mall, the Broward County Cultural Division and the following Funds at the Community Foundation of Broward: Mary N. Porter Community Impact Fund, Jack Belt Memorial Fund, Ginny and Tom Miller Fund, Stearns Weaver Miller Fund for the Arts, Harold D. Franks Fund.