Founded in the late 1700's, New Plymouth on Green Turtle Cay is proud of its Loyalist heritage and its African roots. The two cultures have happily co-inhabited for many decades, sharing customs and entertainment. It is the home of the Bunce and the Green Turtle Cay Junkanoo Rockers and the Island Roots Heritage Festival.
Festivities are always well planned, so it does not come as a surprise that many visitors from all over Abaco and abroad flock to New Plymouth on those occasions. And it is no different on the first weekend of every May when New Plymouth renews its ties to Key West with the Island Roots Heritage Festival.
During the mid eighteen hundreds, many residents of Green Turtle Cay moved to Key West, establishing a permanent bond between the two towns. In 1977, Key West became New Plymouth's Sister City, an occasion celebrated by the first Island Roots Festival. A second one was organized a year later by Mr. Alton Lowe, then became dormant until 2004, when it was finally revived with the help and encouragement of The Bahamas Ministry of Tourism and a small committee of community volunteers.
"Let's celebrate what we are about. Without culture, we are lost. Roots are strong beginnings. People from other parts of the world have come and helped cement our roots, and made us what we are today." These words from the Minister of Tourism, The Honourable Obie Wilchcombe, described the atmosphere on the fair grounds in 2005.
Throughout the past few years a cosmopolitan multitude always enjoy the boutiques displaying paintings and art works by Bahamian artists showing different cultural backgrounds from fine art paintings to beautifully designed jewelry and straw work to hand carved wood work. The food stands at the festival offer local fare such as conch chowder and fritters, fried fish, scrumptious desserts and of course delicious daiquiris and pina coladas to be enjoyed while everyone is entertained by local performers like the Green Turtle Cay Maypole dancers, The Tiny Turtle preschool performers, a local marching band, a Rake and Scrape band and to a junkanoo parade with the most beautiful sunset as a back drop to their dancing to the beat of the goat skin drums and 'kaliking' of the cowbells. Even the world renowned Royal Bahamas Police Force Band has been led through the streets of New Plymouth and onto the festival site by their band leader, Superintendent Sylvester George and Drum Major Taborie Dean during each festival!
The committee strives to entertain and educate anyone who attends the festival annually. They welcome everyone to a special place with loving and talented people willing to share their Bahamian heritage with them. The committee hopes that those who attend will always set aside the first weekend of May to return to New Plymouthís shores and it is with great pride that the committee also always extend a loving hand to all those who have yet to return to their roots and discover what it truly means to be a Bahamian. The Island Roots Heritage Festival is the place to be the first weekend of every May on New Plymouth, Green Turtle Cay, Abaco, Bahamas!