2026 Off-Season Closures
Many businesses close during the slow season for time off and repairs. This typically occurs between September and October, during the peak of hurricane season.
Elbow Cay
- Abaco Inn - staying open
- Cap'n Jack's - Aug 8th through mid-Oct
- Firefly - Aug 24th through Sep 21st
- On Da Beach Bar & Grill - Aug 31st through Oct 13th
- Sea Spray Resort & Marina - closed Sep 8th through Oct 1st
- Thirsty Cuda - closed starting Aug 2nd
Great Guana Cay
- Nipper's - closes Sep though mid-Oct
- Grabbers - closed Sep 1 - Sep 18th
Green Turtle Cay
- Albert Lowe Museum closed Aug 5th - Nov 25th
- Big O's (on No Name Cay) - closed Sep 5th through Oct 10th
- Bluff House Beach Resort & Marina - closed Sep 1st through Oct 30th
- Green Turtle Club closed for Sep and Oct, reopens Oct 31st
- Beach Weekend - staying open
- Pineapples Bar & Grill - Sep 8th thru Nov 13th
- Plymouth Rock Liquors & Cafe - closed the 3rd week of Sep only
- Seagrapes Cafe & Seagrapes Spirits - Sep 13th through sometime in Oct
- Spilligate Bar & Lounge - staying open
- Sundowners - closed starting Aug 30th
- Turtle Crawl Cafe - staying open
Marsh Harbour & Great Abaco
- Jib Room - closed in September
- Pete's Pub closed Aug 17th through Oct 8th
- Snappas Bar - closed Sep 2nd through Sep 11th
- Wally's - closed Sep 9th through Nov 24th
Spanish Cay
- Spanish Cay Marina - open as usual
Treasure Cay
- Bahama Beach Club Resort - closed Sep 1st through Oct 30th
- Coop's Waterfront Bar & Grill closed Aug 24th - Oct 7th
- Sunset Pizza - closed Sep 2nd through Oct 1st
- Treasure Sands Club - closed Sep 2nd through Oct 29th
CONTACT US with updates to add to the list.
Public holidays in the Bahamas
New Year's Day - Thursday, 1 January 2027
The first day of the Gregorian calendar is celebrated with a Junkanoo parade on Green Turtle Cay.
Majority Rule Day - Monday, 11th January 2027
Commemorates the day the Bahamian government gained majority rule for the first time, on this day in 1967. It is usually listed with the emancipation of slavery in 1836 and independence from the United Kingdom in 1973 as the most important events in the history of the Bahamas.
Good Friday - Friday, 26th March 2027
Marks the end of the Lenten season and the beginning of a 4-day holiday weekend. Most Bahamians attend church services and serve fish as the main meal for the day.
Easter Monday - Monday, 19th March 2027
The last day of the long Easter holiday weekend. Marks the beginning of the beach picnicking season.
Labour Day - First Friday in June
The Bahamas celebrates Randol Fawkes Labour Day on the first Friday in June. It's a public holiday that honors the work of Sir Randol Fawkes, a civil rights activist and unionist.
Whit Monday - 17th May 2027
Marks the end of the Easter cycle, 50 days after Easter Sunday. It is the day after the Feast of Pentecost.
Independence Day - Friday, 10th July 2027
Marks the day Bahamas became a fully independent nation, officially splitting from the United Kingdom in 1973.
Emancipation Day - Monday, 3rd August 2026
It commemorates the abolition of slavery in the British Empire in 1834.
National Heroes' Day - Monday, 12th October 2026
Formerly known as "Discovery Day" or "Columbus Day," has now been dedicated to honoring Bahamian national heroes since 2013. An official National Heroes Day ceremony is held with a keynote speech by the Prime Minister, and heroes from a cross-section of civil society are celebrated with a week of activities.
Christmas Day - 25th December
The Christmas season in the Bahamas sees many carnivals and festivals throughout the country.
Boxing Day - 26th December
This holiday was granted to slaves the day after Christmas, when they were given the boxes left over from their master’s gifts. These boxes usually were sent from England and were well-crafted from fine wood. Hence the holiday is known as Boxing Day.
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Where is the Mailboat?
The mailboat system has long been a lifeline for Abaco and its surrounding cays, weaving together the islands' communities and economies. Dating back to the early 1800s, vessels like the schooner Dart pioneered inter-island mail service, connecting remote settlements with Nassau and beyond. By the late 19th century, government-subsidized mailboats were vital in transporting not only mail but also passengers, livestock, and essential goods across the archipelago.
In Abaco, the Dean family has been central to this maritime tradition. Captain Ernest Dean, born in Sandy Point in 1915, established a legacy that continues today through Dean’s Shipping Ltd., now operated by his son, Ernest Dean Jr. Their current mailboat, the CHAMPION III, is a 2009-built landing craft with a carrying capacity of 1,327 tonnes. The vessel measures approximately 178 feet long (54.38 meters) and 59 feet wide (18 meters), with a draught of about 6.5 feet (2 meters), making her well-suited to navigate the shallow waters of the Bahamas.
For those eager to track the mailboat's arrival, you can monitor the CHAMPION III's real-time location via AIS tracking here.
Painting by talented artist Randy Curry from Green Turtle Cay of the 35' sloop the 'Captain Dean'.