Bahamian prodco LFD Productions is aiming to turn its homegrown children’s hit Goombay Kids into an international success.

The 26 x 22-minute series for the five to nine set centers around three kids who go on adventures to learn about the Bahamas. In later seasons, their educational outings turn into fantastical adventures that see them cross paths with historical figures like the pirate Anne Bonny and mythical creatures such as mermaids (pictured), as they work to protect the Bahamas’ natural beauty from villainous forces.

Goombay Kids launched in 2020 on local broadcaster Our TV, and Nassau-based LFD Productions is now producing season four. Awareness has been building steadily through festival awards and nominations (including Best TV Series and Best Producer wins at the Cannes World Film Festival) and additional broadcast deals (both Roku in the Caribbean and regional SVOD Pavilion+ picked up the series in 2022).

LFD teamed up with writer Lauren Oliver’s New York-based prodco StoryGiants (Panic) on season four, and is looking to turn the growing buzz around the series into global sales. Future Today acquired Goombay Kids for a US launch in July, marking the show’s first international broadcast deal.

Future Today was drawn to the series’ exploration of underrepresented Caribbean cultures, as well as its emphasis on empowering kids to learn while being adventurous, according to David Di Lorenzo, the AVOD platform’s SVP of kids and family.

Highlighting the wonders of the Bahamas—a lesser-known region with plenty of natural beauty—is the show’s big differentiator, says Goombay Kids creator and LFD CEO Stephanie Nihon. She adds that many kids, including those who live there, don’t know much about the Bahamas and are eager to learn about the country.

It’s worth noting that the potential audience for Bahamian children’s entertainment is significant: Roughly 20% of the island chain’s population is 14 years old or younger, according to the CIA’s World Factbook. There’s also a large diaspora of families originally from the Caribbean living abroad who are craving a taste of home that Goombay Kids can provide, says Nihon.

And while the series is rooted in Bahamian culture and history, the hope is that its mix of education, adventure and scenic locales will give it international legs. “There’s not a lot of kids content that represents the Caribbean,” says Nihon. “There also isn’t much of a kids industry in the Bahamas, and we want the world to know about the talent and stories we have here.”

LFD Productions is working on developing books based on the series, as well as seeking co-producers, broadcasters and licensing partners to expand its reach outside of the Caribbean.

This story originally appeared in Kidscreen‘s October/November 2023 magazine.