Anyone with more than a passing familiarity with Gloucester knows of Guinea.

This unique community in the lower part of the county is renowned for its men and women who work the water. And each year, the community gathers together to celebrate what makes it special and invites people from throughout the region to join in the fun.

Plans are in full swing for this year’s celebration, which kicks off with Guinea Heritage Day on Sunday, Sept. 10 and, later that month (Sept. 29 and 30) with the Guinea Jubilee. Melissa Ashe and Nick and Fran Bonniville sat down last week at the Buck’s Store Museum in Bena to discuss plans for this year’s festival. The three, along with Ashe’s brother, Ryan, serve as co-chairs of the Guinea Jubilee Committee.

“We’re striving to make it bigger and better,” Nick said of this year’s celebration. “We’re still trying to put more of the ‘Guinea’ in it,” Melissa added, alluding to a comment she made before last year’s festival, referring to an added emphas...