Festivals in Barbados
Unique cultural, social and traditional events throughout the year provide a host of great reasons to visit Barbados. We have fabulous music festivals like the Naniki Music Festival in January, the Reggae Festival in April, Broadway to Barbados in February and March, Gospelfest in May and the Classical/Pops in December. Cultural festivals include the Holetown Festival in February, Celtic Festival in May and the fantastic summer festival of Crop Over with music, parades, art, craft and heritage from June to August. The Food & Rum Festival in November is a week long event of indulgence.
Sugar & Rum festival
This year, The Barbados Tourism Product Authority launched the Barbados Sugar & Rum Season. This cultural heritage initiative is intended to tell and sell the unique story of sugar and rum while celebrating the latter as an indigenous product. Centuries ago, these 166 square miles were renowned for its rolling hills of sugar cane fields which gave birth to the globally appreciated spirit known as rum. The Barbados Sugar and Rum Season tells the story of sugar and rum with distillery tours, rum tours of Bridgetown, dinners at plantation great houses, sugar and rum themed cooking classes, chocolate making classes, lectures on the rich history of sugar and rum in Barbados, mixology road shows and displays of Chocolate Diamonds. Immerse yourself in the fascinating story of Barbados and experience life in the birthplace of rum. For further details on the 2018 season, contact the Barbados Tourism Product Authority at (246) 535-3700 or visit their website.
www.visitbarbados.org/barbados-sugar-and-rum-season
Health & Wellness
The Barbados Beach Wellness Festival is a new event on the 2017 calendar. This will take place from September 2 to 3 and will incorporate several health and wellness activities including SUP yoga, Thai yoga bodywork, tai chi and capoeira. There will also be beach activities such as workout sessions and watersports. Nature lovers will also be able to take part in biking, horseback riding and hiking tours.
Culinary Festivals
The Barbados Chocolate Festival & Conference, a chocolate, pastry and sweets festival, takes place in January each year. www.barbadoschocolatefestival.com
The Food and Rum Festival takes place annually during the month of November.
For further details call The Barbados Tourism Marketing Inc. at (246) 467-3600.
Open Houses
Presented by the Barbados National Trust every Wednesday from 2:30-5:30pm during January, February and March each year.
For details of venues call The Barbados National Trust at (246) 426-2421 or visit: www.barbadosnationaltrust.org
open gardens
Open gardens are presented by the Barbados Horticultural Society during the months of January, February and March each year. They take place on Sundays from 2 to 6pm and refreshments are served. For venue details and info call the Barbados Horticultural Society at (246) 428-5889 or visit: www.horticulturebarbados.com.
World Flower Show
The World Association of Floral Artists (WAFA) will host the World Flower Show entitled âFlowers in Paradiseâ from June 22 to 25, 2017 at the Lloyd Erskine Sandiford Centre. The show will feature between 400-500 exhibitors from across the globe as well as many other interesting components including lectures, a vendors market and floral demonstrations.
Music Festivals
Several music festivals take place annually in Barbados. Very popular is the annual Naniki Barbados Music Festival which takes place in January.
www.facebook.com/NanikiMusicFestival. Also very popular is Broadway to Barbados which takes place in February and March. For further details call (246) 430-2400.
The annual Barbados Reggae Festival will take place from April 23 to 30, 2017.
http://thebarbadosreggaefestival.com
The annual Barbados Gospelfest will take place from May 20 to 28, 2017.
www.barbadosgospelfest.com
A new and exciting addition to the event calendar is the Classical/Pops Festival which will take place at Apes Hill Club, St. James on December 8 and 9, 2017.
Cultural Festivals
The Holetown Festival takes place annually in February and commemorates the anniversary of the first settlement of Barbados in 1627.
www.holetownfestivalbarbados.org
The Oistins Fish Festival takes place annually during Easter weekend and will take place from April 15 to 17, 2017.
The Barbados Celtic Festival is a music and food festival celebrating the culinary and cultural links between the Celtic countries of Scotland, Ireland, Wales, Nova Scotia, the Gaelic regions in Europe and the sunny Caribbean island of Barbados. It will be held May 26 to 29, 2017. For more info visit:
www.barbadoscelticfestival.com/barbados-celtic-festival.
The Crop Over Festival takes place annually during the months of June, July & August. Grand Kadooment Day will take place on August 7, 2017.
The 13th Edition of the Caribbean Festival of Arts (Carifesta) will take place from August 17 to 27, 2017.
NIFCA (National Independence Festival for Creative Arts) takes place in November every year.
For further details on the Crop Over Festival, Carifesta and NIFCA, call the National Cultural Foundation at (246) 417-6610 or visit www.ncf.bb
Barbados Independent Film Festival
A fun-filled week in January of international and regional film screenings, celebrity appearances, filmmaker workshops, panel discussions and special events. Enjoy a unique selection of world-class feature length films, documentaries and shorts. The next festival is January 9 to 14, 2018.
www.barbadosfilmfest.org
Art Shows
Several art shows take place from January to April each year at the following venues: Gallery of Caribbean Art, Speightstown, St. Peter - Tel: (246) 419-0858 or Gallery NuEdge, Limegrove Lifestyle Centre, Holetown, St. James - Tel: (246) 621-0067.
Hiking
Four grades of hikes take place every Sunday at 6am and medium hike at 3:30pm. There is also a moonlight hike every month which takes place at 5:30pm. For further details call The Barbados National Trust at (246) 426-2421.
Dog Shows
The Barbados Kennel Clubâs All Breeds Championship Dog Shows take place annually in March, October & November. The 2017 dates are October 8 and November 19. For further details visit:
www.barbadoskennelclub.org
(See our Events page for specific dates and click on the following boxes below to view image slideshows)
Springtime blossoms in May with Gospelfest, the Caribbean's premier celebration of gospel gala, featuring the best international and local gospel talent. Each year, thousands gather for this inspirational concert series. Also, in May, the island plays host to the Celtic Festival with performances by visiting Celtic groups.
Summertime sizzles with the Rally Carnival held in June and July, which attracts the most spectators than any other sport in Barbados, as well as top international drivers. This is followed by the excitement of Crop Over, July to August, the Bajan version of Mardi Gras. With island rhythms of the Barbados Pan Festival, outrageous costumes and unrivaled festivities and entertainment, this 19th century tradition celebrates the year's sugar cane crop with six weeks of competitions, festivities, feasts and fairs, all to salute the island's rich cultural history. Also held in August, is the Banks International Hockey Festival.
Autumn is marked by the Bridge League's Sun, Sea & Slams Festival in October and a bounty of arts during November's month-long celebration of the NIFCA, (National Independence Festival of Creative Arts). NIFCA showcases the range of inspired island creations: from music, dance and drama, to photography and poetry and culminates in a gala event featuring the finalists.
So visit Barbados and enjoy our world of diversity at any time of year!
