This event was first hosted in the beautiful home of Pat and Louise Green on Green Turtle Cay in 2004.  For two years we enjoyed Pat and Louise inviting us to their home to sample excellent selections of wines provided by Burns House Group while enjoying delicious hordeurves homemade by the Festival Committee members.  The first year, Coffee Butler, from Key West delighted us with his music out on their back porch while the moon rose over the sea.  Coffee's grandmother was born on Green Turtle Cay and he had never ever visited Green Turtle Cay before, so it was quite a moment when he was led to her house (now owned by Mr. Paul Curry) where she had been born and touched it.   The moment reflected on the whole purpose of the Island Roots Heritage Festival: to bring back family from near and far to rediscover their heritage and the love of family.  The following year Little Joe Cartwright and his band came to play and we had over 200 people dancing out on the back deck after sampling yet another great selection provided by Burns House Group and more delicious hordeurves made by the committee.  It was then we knew this popular event, so fun at the Green's house had to be relocated to accommodate our ever growing crowd!

Since then, The Green Turtle Club, has generously offered their beautiful resort to the committee to host the Wine Tasting Events.  The committee continues to create enormous displays of delicious hordeurves to accompany wonderful selections of wines provided by Bristol Cellars Wines and Spirits (for 4 years) and Burns House Group (for 3 years).  For those who do not drink wine, the committee provides a non-alcoholic sparkling cider and The Green Turtle Club offers a full bar selection with Debbie and Julie keeping everyone happy throughout the evening!  Our entertainers have been The Gully Roosters, The Brilanders, Geno D, The New Entry Band and The Music Man, Estin Sawyer!

Every year the Green Turtle Ferry provides transportation from the mainland Treasure Cay ferry dock so that you arrive at the event the moment it begins and returns you from Green Turtle Cay at the end of the evening with two return time options.

An event not to be missed!  A great way to support the committee to insure yet another fabulous Island Roots Heritage Festival!  This event is open only to adults over the age of 18 and is usually held on a Saturday evening mid to late January each year. 

Check out photos from the Wine Tasting Event in 2007 by going to the Main Menu and clicking on Photos then Wine Tasting '07.  Enjoy!

A wonderful time was had by all who attended the first Evening of Elegance Event December 2007 under the patronage of The Prime Minister of the Commonwealth of the Bahamas, The Right Honourable Hubert A. Ingraham.  A hundred very lucky people attended this event to  raise monies to help produce the 2008 Island Roots Heritage Festival. 

The guests were greeted with a glass of perfectly chilled champagne, generously donated by Burns House Group as they were delightfully entertained by Tabitha and the Gurney Fowler Quartet out under the stars on The Green Turtle Club's patio.  A delicious meal selection was provided by The Green Turtle Club followed by a brief message from the Prime Minister and fun drawings for door prizes and awards for best dressed couple and single!! 

Dancing under the stars and a silent auction completed this perfect evening.  Those who attended have been consoling those who missed this event ever since!

Check out photos from this evening by clicking on the Main Menu, then Photos, then Fundraiser '07 (click on Debbie and the Prime Minister's photo). 

For over four hundred years we have been celebrating Guy Fawkes Nite with bonfires, building Guys and in general just having lots of fun. 

Island Roots Heritage Festival Committee revived this tradition in 2003 on Green Turtle Cay by having a Family Fun Nite for all on the Saturday night closest to Guy Fawkes Day, 5th November!

The evening begins usually around the 6pm hour with delicious food that usually includes grilled burgers served on a homemade bun, conch chowder and conchy conch fritters.  There is a GUY Competition where anyone can build a GUY and bring it to be registered and judged for special prizes.  The fun part of the nite is when each GUY is danced by their creator(s) to Bahamian music!  Guy Fawkes actually came to a few of our events and created quite a scene!  There are games at this event, sometimes a wild hayride, cake walks, guava duff, sodas, juices and water.  The evening comes to a close when The Green Turtle Cay Volunteer Fire Department builds and lights this huge bonfire for everyone to parade to with their GUYS to be burned! 

Green Turtle Ferry provides service to and from this event, so that everyone is invited to join in on this Family Fun Nite! 

For a history of Guy Fawkes please click on Guy Fawkes.  See you at our next Guy Fawkes Family Fun Nite and don't forget to make a GUY!!