The Tribune

By DENISE MAYCOCK

Tribune Staff Reporter

dmaycock@tribunemedia.net

GRAND Bahama has added a new festival to its calendar of events: Oktoberfest.

The Ministry of Tourism, Investment, and Aviation is partnering with Commonwealth Brewery and the Bahamas Brewery and Beverage Company to host an event on October 21 in Freetown, East End.

Nuvolari Chotoosingh, the general manager at MOTIA in Freeport, hopes to make Oktoberfest an annual event in Grand Bahama.

“I would like to thank our sponsors for bringing this festival to Grand Bahama Island for Bahamians and visitors to enjoy,” he said on Friday.

The festival will feature beers from the two breweries. There will be beer gardens, outdoor barbeque, and entertainment, including fire dancing and Junkanoo. The event will end with a bonfire at the beach in Freetown.

The Ministry of Tourism is providing bus transportation for hotel guests. Residents are encouraged to support the festival.

Commonwealth Brewery will supply Kalik Beer. The Bahamian Brewery and Beverage Company will feature several beer brands, including Strong Back, High Rock, Sands, Sands Light, High Rock, Bush Crack, and 66 Step. T-shirts, hats, and other souvenir items will be available.

Clayton Russell said the brewery is excited to support the community festivals in East End, an area that Hurricane Dorian significantly affected.

“We want to see the area restored and back to where it needs to be,” he said.

In addition to the beer drinking, officials said there will be other native beverages such as Gullywash and Bahamian dishes available.

Mr Chotoosingh said events like Oktoberfest attract repeat visitors to the island year-round.

“We want to make it an annual event on our festival calendar. This type of festival is one where we want our visitors to build their vacation around,” he said.