By K. NANCOO-RUSSELL

Freeport News Reporter

krystal@nasguard.com

Local Junkanoo groups will continue the battle this weekend for $9,000.00 per category.

The Swingers Junkanoo group are ahead of the other four groups going into the second leg of the Junkanoo Spring Fest, set to take place on Bayshore Road in West End on Friday night.

The first competition took place on Friday, February 26 at Taino Beach and the results of that parade were released yesterday.

In the banner category, the Swingers scored a total of 271 points, while the Classic Dancers took second place with 258.

Superstar Rockers earned themselves 257 points, Majestic Crusaders, 199, and Bayshore Warriors, 183.

In the music category, the Swingers totalled 261 points, while the Majestic Crusaders followed with 231.

The Classic Dancers scored 217 points, the Superstar Rockers 192 and the Bayshore Warriors 149.

The overall winner of Junkanoo Spring Fest will be determined following the completion of the other two parades- the one on Friday, March 12, and the other on Friday, March 26 at Bayshore Road in Eight Mile Rock.

The five groups will compete for a $9,000 prize for each category.

The parades will be broadcast live via the Internet, on the website www.everythingjunkanoo.com.

Businessman and sponsor of the Junkanoo Spring Fest Gregory Williams said he hopes that the event can become an annual one which will bring some much-needed economic activity to the island by attracting visitors.

The whole idea, he continued, is to have visitors and residents alike participate fully in the actual parade.

"We want to have this Junkanoo activity not just as a spectator sport as Junkanoo has evolved over the years where persons just come and purchase a seat in the bleachers and watch it go by, but we really want persons to participate so when people around the world are watching it they will see all this fun the tourists are having and they will say they want to be a part of that next year," he shared.