The Tribune

By JADE RUSSELL
Tribune Staff Reporter
jrussell@tribunemedia.net

ONE Family tightened its grip on Bay Street yesterday, capturing the New Year’s Day title to complete a back-to-back sweep after winning the Boxing Day parade days earlier.

The group’s New Year’s performance, themed “No Matter What, We Gern to Church! So What’s Your Reason,” sent the parade route into a frenzy with costumes bursting with bright jewels, feathers and Christian crosses. Some dancers wore sparkling church hats and shoes and moved close to the bleachers, holding offering baskets, while other performers in pastel pink and purple drew cheers with energetic choreography. Along the route, supporters shouted “two straight” as the group powered through its run.

ONE Family won with 594 points.

The defending champion, Saxons Superstars, placed second with 566 points under “The Crusaders: The Divine Battle for Salvation”. Roots finished third with 539 points with “The Greatest Shows on Earth”.

The World Famous Valley Boys 1958, led by Mr Brian Adderley, was fourth with 533 points, followed by Genesis Warhawks in fifth with 531. The Way Forward Valley Boys placed sixth with 446 points, Music Makers seventh with 390, and Prodigal Sons eighth with 225.

Speaking to The Tribune, Christina “Muffin” Fernander, former chairman of One Family, said the double triumph carried special weight after what she described as a disappointing season last year. She said the group regrouped and refined its approach for this season.

“These two wins here were the members,” she said. “The members wanted it really badly, and they worked. They worked hard and their efforts paid off.”

Ms Fernander said the results showed One Family’s staying power, recalling when the group’s early runs came with little support and arguing its latest performances confirmed it as a major force among Junkanoo’s established contenders.

In the B Division, Colours Entertainment and Junkanoo Organisation won with 570 points under “A Bahamian Sunday”. Immortals Junkanoo and Community Organisation were second with 449 points, Fancy Dancers third with 371, and Conquerors for Christ fourth with 331. Body of Christ Crusaders placed fifth with 318 points, Dynasty sixth with 281, Redland Soldiers seventh with 256, Mighty Eagles eighth with 242, Chipping Knights ninth, and Foundation tenth with 93 points.

One Family has achieved back-to-back major parade victories before, also winning consecutive parades during the 2022–23 season.