When it comes to top seafood in the Bahamas, you’re looking at a hard list of heavy hitters!
From groupers to crabs, this archipelago doesn’t have a shortage of tasty marine life to dominate both citizens and tourists alike for both their flavour and nutrition.
However, one seafood stands out as the reigning champion – conch!
Being a native species to the Bahamas, Conch has been used in a variety of delicious delicacies. Cracked conch, conch salad, steamed conch, conch with peas n’ rice! Not to mention the cream of the crop – the classic conch fritters!
(Photo from Charlotte Fashion Plate)
That’s not even going into its usefulness regarding the artistic and musical potential. Conchs are tremendously popular and craved for jewellery, with their pearls becoming beautiful necklaces or shells that have been carved for masterpieces of art! That’s not even mentioning the iconic conch trumpet – with people using an empty conch shell to play wonderful music!
Being as it is an animal that offers so much utility, it’s only natural that there would be some sort of festival to celebrate it and its role in Bahamian society, right?
Well, Grand Bahama has that aspect covered and more with their McLean Town’s Conch Cracking Festival!
This conch festival was started in 1972 with its prime focus being, you guessed it, conch!
An entire event revolving around conch! Eating conch-based food! Getting souvenirs made from conches! Crack the conchs!! There’s also competition and games that even kids can participate in, thus making it quite the event to partake in!
The Conch Crack Festival is on the East End of Grand Bahama on McLean’s Town’s school grounds. This event goes from 11 AM and the required fee to participate is $5. Adults pay $2 to enter, and Children (12-18) pay $1. Under $12 is free.
So if you or your family or friends (or all three) are interested in such a festival, this is something that can not be missed out on!