Goombay is the traditional music of The Bahamas. Born of a mixture of European heritage and African rhythms, it is the music of the foremost festival of the Bahamian calendar, Junkanoo, held every Boxing Day (December 26th) and New Year’s Day in the country. Also from this heritage is the rake and scrape band, where the musical instruments were originally a carpenter’s saw, a homemade bass violin and a drum. Today’s rake and scrape bands add a few modern touches, like an electric guitar, to the mix, but the basic elements are the same.

The Bahamas hosts a number of music festivals each year including The Bahamas Jazz Festival in January and a Gospelrama in May.