Barbados Calendar of Events

Realtors Limited invites you to experience a wholesome and exciting Barbados that is developing and exploding as fashionably as its property market. Our annual events calendar is packed with festivals, sports and much more.

JANUARY In fact, the events calendar of Barbados starts with a musical bang with the Barbados Jazz Festival and the Barbados Music Awards taking centre stage. The Barbados Jazz festival is one of the more established festivals in the Caribbean having been in existence for over a decade. The Barbados Music Awards, however is a newer event but still gains as much attention. After all, with international artistes like Rihanna, Rupee and Allison Hinds all hailing from the little island of Barbados, there is always tremendous talent to acknowledge at this event. Late January also sees the Barbados Horticultural Society Annual Flower Show which is held at Balls Plantation and January also sees the beginning of the National Trust Open House Season which runs from Mid-January to Mid-April. The island also celebrates during this month; Errol Barrow Day, a national holiday highlighting the Father of Independence.
	FEBRUARY This month is filled with water sports with the Barbados Regatta, the Deep Sea Fishing Tournament and the Water Man Festival (held at Silver Rock Beach) which incorporates all aspects of surfing, like kite and wind surfing, in competitive form. Whether you are a competitor in the waters, or wish to keep your feet on the sand you will certainly enjoy the activities of this month as they centre on the sparkling waters of the Caribbean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean. The Holetown Festival is held in February, providing a week of entertainment, including; street fair, street parade, steel band concerts, calypso and gospel music, 10k road walk and road run, and much much more. For those more sport orientated, February includes; golf tournaments, horse racing, deep sea fishing tournaments and Polo. (Barbados Calendar of Events)
MARCH This month is a month of diversity as the island explodes spectacularly with offerings of theatre, horse racing, game-fishing and the flower and garden show. Holders Season is the perennial outdoor theatre festival on the island. Patrons enjoy opera, Shakespeare plays, comedy evenings and a spectacular Gala and Family Day all on the magnificent Holders House Plantation at the edge of the Sandy Lane Estate. Luciano Pavarotti, Kylie Minogue and the pop-opera group Amici Forever have all graced the stage at this established event held under the patronage of the Kidd family. The Sandy Lane Gold Cup is the premier horse racing event in the Caribbean. It is as if almost the majority of the island converges at the historic Garrison Savannah to enjoy a day at the races. There is also an International Game Fishing Event as well the Flower and Garden show as the local horticulturists prepare to represent Barbados at the Chelsea Flower Show in London.
	APRIL The action moves to the South Coast in April for the Oistins Fish Festival. This is a week long celebration featuring the culinary benefits of the fishing industry of the island. There are several events centred around this festival as the King and Queen of the Festival are acknowledged. A trip to Oistins is incomplete without sampling the fish at the various outdoor restaurants. For music lovers the popular Reggae on the Hill, a reggae show at Farley Hill National Park in St. Peter, combines vintage and modern reggae artistes from across the Caribbean. Or for film buffs the Bridgetown Film Festival is also a new addition to the event calendar but it is rapidly gripping the interest of the population and 2007 saw six local films being entered, as well as entrants from across the region and the USA. (Barbados Calendar of Events)
MAY The Crop Over warm up begins as early as May with the weekly Cavalcades, a traveling concert that moves to different locations on the island to raise awareness of the calypso songs for the year. GospelFest, a showcase of gospel artists from Barbados, the Caribbean and the world all assemble at this event to give praise in this island paradise. There is also a Celtic Festival showcasing the island's Celtic origins through song and dance. The premier showcase of products and services of Barbados is held at BMEX, an exhibition at the Sherbourne Conference Centre. For the car racing enthusiasts, Rally Barbados is undoubtedly the highlight of the month where competitors from Guyana and other countries are here to challenge the local Barbadian drivers.
	JUNE June sees the Crop Over action intensifying with the official launch of the event and the crowning of the King and Queen of the Harvest, the two persons who harvested the most cane during the previous year. The cavalcades continue, as well as weekend hikes by the Nature Trust of Barbados exploring different regions of the island. On the sporting calendar there is the International Masters Football Festival. This month also sees the Mount Gay Regatta at the Barbados Yacht Club. (Barbados Calendar of Events)
JULY Crop Over events are in full swing now and this dominates the island's calendar for the month of July. There are the various band launches and themed parties as well as the spectacular Crop Over Gala. There is also the Sir Garfield Sobers Schools International Cricket tournament which has been in existence for almost twenty years. Schools from the island, the region and even as far as England participate in this tournament for the prestige of being crowned the best!
	AUGUST The culmination of Crop Over kicks off in the month of August. There is a large street parade with displays of costumes traveling from the National Stadium to the Spring Garden Highway. The "jump up" is a time of revelry and festivity for all. This month also acknowledges the history of the island with Emancipation Day, remembering those who struggled for equality for all citizens. The Banks Hockey Festival is also a staple of the sporting calendar on the island, with almost 20 years in existence. Clubs from Barbados, the region, North America and various European countries assemble in Barbados for a month of spectacular field hockey action. (Barbados Calendar of Events)
SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER Compared to the other months of the year, September and October are relatively quiet as persons recover from the Crop Over celebrations and prepare for the upcoming Independence Celebrations and then Christmas. There are various Nature Trust Hikes across the island as well as the Taste of Barbados Food Festival, highlighting the culinary skills and diversity of the island top chefs.
	NOVEMBER Independence Day on November 30th and the National Independence Festival of Creative Arts (NIFCA), a showcase of local talent in celebration of our island's independence dominate and there is a sense of patriotism across the island with blue, yellow and black-the national colours of the island in abundance. There is also the Caribbean International Film Festival, the Christmas Craft Fair and the Barbados Surfing and Windsailing Competitions. November also sees the Annual Run Barbados Festival with a fair and expo and a 5k fun run and walk, 10k walk, a marathon and full marathon. (Barbados Calendar of Events)
DECEMBER December see the continuation of the Run Barbados Festival as the season fills with Christmas spirit and the various local traditions are displayed in food, family and festivities. Further horse racing and the opening of the Polo season are the climax of a rather busy year of events, with barely enough time to catch your breath before it starts all over again the following year.