Every February, the tiny Exuma island of Little Farmer’s Cay — home to roughly 60 permanent residents — swells with hundreds of visiting sailors, families, and homecomers for a weekend that feels far bigger than its population suggests. The First Friday in February Farmer’s Cay Festival, better known as the Five-F Festival, packs the anchorage with over 100 cruising boats and turns the airstrip outside Ty’s Sunset Bar & Grill into the island’s main street. It’s the biggest Class C sloop regatta in the Exumas, and it all happens on a cay you can walk end-to-end in under an hour.
A population of roughly 60 permanent residents hosts over 100 cruising boats for the annual Five-F Festival — the Bahamas’ smallest island to throw one of its biggest parties.
This article covers what makes the Five-F Festival worth planning a trip around, how the sloop racing works, what island hospitality looks like here, and the practical realities of getting to and staying on Little Farmer’s Cay. Whether you’re a cruising sailor eyeing the Exumas chain or a traveler looking for an authentic Bahamian cultural event, this guide draws on local knowledge and on-the-ground details.
The Five-F Festival is one of the most genuine cultural events in the Bahamas — a homecoming, a regatta, and a community block party rolled into one. But it’s not a tourist production: you’ll need your own boat or a seat on the mail boat to get here, and the island has almost no shops, so come prepared. If you want to see Bahamian boat-building tradition, local cooking, and a community that welcomes strangers like family, this is the real deal.
Cruising sailors
Culture-focused travelers
Families who want a real island experience
| Stop / Activity | Best For | Key Detail | Insider Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5 Fs Festival | Cruisers & homecomers | 100+ boats, biggest C sloop regatta in Exumas | First Friday in February — plan your passage around it |
| Class C Sloop Racing | Racing & boat-building fans | Pry boards, anchored start, all-Bahamian crews | Watch from Ty’s deck for the best view |
| Island Hospitality | All visitors | Ocean Cabin, Ty’s, sea turtles at the marina | Walk the island and greet locals — it’s customary |
| Practical Access | Boat & plane arrivals | Dockage, moorings, anchorage, small airstrip | Bring essential supplies — shops are very limited |
The Five-F Festival — A Homecoming on the Water
The First Friday in February Farmer’s Cay Festival, known locally as the Five-F Festival, is the island’s biggest event of the year. It’s a homecoming weekend — scores of family and friends who’ve moved away converge on the cay, and dozens arrive Friday on the Captain C, the inter-island mail boat, which also carries many of the sloops on deck. Other visitors come by private boat or small plane.
The center of the celebration is Ty’s Sunset Bar & Grill, on the southwest side of the cay. The airport runway just outside Ty’s front door serves as “Main Street” for the weekend — a flat stretch where people gather, kids run, and the festival spills out from the bar onto the pavement. One of the prettiest beaches on the island is out the back door of Ty’s.
Good food, music, dancing, regatta announcers, and trophy presentations continue all weekend on Ty’s deck. For cruisers, the festival is often the highlight of their Exumas passage — many plan their entire route around this single weekend.
If you’re arriving by boat, anchor on the west side of the island off the beach in settled easterly winds — good holding in sand at 2–4 meters depth. Avoid anchoring with your mast in line with the airstrip approaches.
Most visitors come by private boat, charter flight to the small airstrip, or the Friday mail boat Captain C from Nassau or George Town. The island lies 20 nautical miles south of Staniel Cay on the banks side of the southern Exuma Cays. Dockage is available at Farmer’s Cay Yacht Club; moorings can be rented from the Yacht Club and Ocean Cabin. Contact Ocean Cabin on VHF Channel 16 for hours and availability.
The festival headquarters is Ty’s, on the southwest side of the cay. The airstrip outside becomes the weekend’s main street. Food, music, dancing, and the regatta announcers all happen on Ty’s deck. This is where you’ll find the heart of the celebration — locals, cruisers, and homecomers all mixing together.
The biggest C class sloop regatta in the Exumas is the main spectacle. Traditional Bahamian boats built entirely of wood, with a single sail that looks too big for the hull, race through the cut. Crews use pry boards — long planks extended over the side where up to four crewmen sit to counter the sail’s force. The unique anchored start is something you won’t see anywhere else. Read more about the racing tradition on Southern Boating’s coverage of Bahamian festivals.
Walk the island — it’s tiny and close-knit. Greeting locals as you pass is customary. Visit the marina to see the friendly sea turtles that congregate near the main dock. The Exuma Bank Shore on the western side has calm, shallow water perfect for peaceful wading. Exposed sandbars at low tide offer quiet spots for photos and complete silence.
Class C Sloop Racing — Tradition Under Sail
The sloop racing is what draws many visitors to the Five-F Festival. These are traditional Bahamian boats, built entirely of wood with a single sail that looks far too big for the hull. By rule, each boat must be owned, built, and sailed by Bahamians — it’s a point of pride and cultural preservation.
Keeping these boats upright at speed is a challenge. The solution is “pry boards” — long planks extended out over the side where up to four crewmen sit to counter the force of the sail and keep the boat flat for maximum speed. When tacking, the crew slides the boards across to the other side, and timing is critical — an imperfect execution can capsize the boat.
The race start is unlike anything in modern sailing. Each boat anchors about 50 feet to leeward of the start line. When the starting gun goes off, the crew raises anchor and sail simultaneously, then sails quickly to the line and upwind to the first mark. It’s chaotic, skillful, and thoroughly entertaining to watch from Ty’s deck or from a dinghy on the water.
The Farmer’s Cay Cut can be rough — large swell from sustained easterly winds against ebb tide makes it tricky, and currents are strong. Approach from the banks side (west) in settled easterly winds for the safest passage. Consult Explorer Charts EX-21 and EX-22 for detailed approaches.
Island Life & Hospitality — Ocean Cabin, Ty’s, and the Turtles
Outside festival season, Little Farmer’s Cay is quiet, relatively undeveloped, dotted with attractive homes and lush vegetation. The seafaring way of life is central to the island’s identity. The island was originally settled in the 19th century by Christian Herock, a formerly enslaved man who purchased the land to establish a legacy for his family. Many of his descendants still live here, preserving ancestral history and oral traditions.
Two establishments anchor the island’s hospitality. Ocean Cabin, operated by Terry Bain, serves fresh Bahamian home cooking and cold Kalik beer — many cruisers consider it one of the most welcoming restaurants in the islands. Farmer’s Cay Yacht Club and Marina offers dock slips, shore power, moorings, a full-service restaurant and bar, laundry, ice, and short-term rooms. During the festival, both are buzzing.
The island’s friendly sea turtles congregate near the main dock year-round and are a highlight for visitors, especially children. Swimming with them in the gin-clear water is the main attraction when there’s no festival on.
Getting There & Practical Access
Little Farmer’s Cay lies on the banks side of the southern Exuma Cays, 20 nautical miles south of Staniel Cay and about 25 nautical miles north of George Town. The approach is via the Exuma Banks, navigating carefully around isolated coral heads and sand bores. The Farmer’s Cay Cut provides access from Exuma Sound — it’s wide, deep, and easy to read in good conditions, but large swell from sustained easterly winds against ebb tide can make it rough, and currents are strong.
The island has a small airstrip for charter flights. For cruisers, the best anchorage in settled easterly winds is on the west side off the beach, with good holding in sand at 2–4 meters depth and a tidal range of about 0.8–1 meter. Protection is solid from easterly through southerly winds (the predominant direction during cruising season), but exposed to westerly through northerly weather systems. The shallow Exuma Bank can create short, choppy seas in strong westerly winds.
Limited provisions — bring essential supplies, snacks, and anything you can’t do without. Major provisioning is available in Staniel Cay (20 nm north) or George Town (25 nm south). Cell service is limited. Shops on the island are very few; unique wooden art pieces by local artisans and Yacht Club T-shirts from the marina bar are about the extent of retail.
If you’re not arriving by private boat, the mail boat Captain C runs from Nassau or George Town and stops at Little Farmer’s Cay — it’s how many festival-goers and homecomers get here. Book early for the first Friday in February, as space fills fast.
Before You Go — Little Farmer’s Cay & the Five-F Festival
How do I get to Little Farmer’s Cay?
Most visitors arrive by private boat, charter flight to the island’s small airstrip, or the inter-island mail boat Captain C. The cay is 20 nm south of Staniel Cay and 25 nm north of George Town in the Exumas.
When exactly is the Five-F Festival?
The First Friday in February Farmer’s Cay Festival — the 5 Fs — takes place the first weekend of February each year. The 2027 edition is already on the calendar. Check the Bahamas official events page for confirmed dates.
What is there to do on the island outside of festival season?
Swim with sea turtles at the marina, walk the island and greet locals, wade in the calm western shore at low tide, and enjoy fresh Bahamian cooking at Ocean Cabin or the Yacht Club. The island is quiet and undeveloped — that’s the appeal.
Where do I stay?
Farmer’s Cay Yacht Club offers short-term rooms. Ocean Cabin also has limited accommodations. Most festival visitors sleep on their boats — anchored off the west beach, or on moorings rented from the Yacht Club or Ocean Cabin.
Is Little Farmer’s Cay family-friendly?
Yes — the calm western shore is safe for young children, the sea turtles are a hit with kids, and the festival weekend is welcoming for families. Just bring your own supplies, since island shops are minimal.
A Weekend That Stays With You
Little Farmer’s Cay doesn’t try to be a destination — it just is one, on its own terms. The Five-F Festival is a genuine homecoming, not a staged event, and the community’s hospitality is the thread that runs through every part of the experience. Whether you come for the sloop racing, the sea turtles, or simply to see what happens when 60 islanders welcome 1,000 visitors for a weekend, you’ll leave with a sense of what the Bahamas Out Islands are really about. For more on exploring the Exuma chain, check out the Island Hopper’s Guide to Exuma: Swimming Pigs, Hidden Caves & Turquoise Dreams.
References
Plizio. “Little Farmer’s Cay.” Plizio.com. ↗
Southern Boating. “Bahamian Festivals.” Southernboating.com. ↗
Sail Abacos. “Little Farmers Cay Anchorages.” Sailabacos.com. ↗
Tripbase. “Five Fs Festival.” Tripbase.com. ↗
If Little Farmer’s Cay has you thinking about more Exuma adventures, the Island Hopper’s Guide to Exuma covers swimming pigs, hidden caves, and turquoise dreams across the chain. For quieter beach days, Treasure Cay Beach and Ocean Cay offer calm waters and soft sand. And if you’re planning a broader Bahamas trip, the comprehensive island-hopping guide ties it all together.
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