Celebration time
Enjoy spoken word, comedy, dance, music, and more at the Bridgetown International Arts Festival (1–31 March), featuring Trinidad & Tobago comedians Lyrix and Stephon John; Mind Fusion, a spoken word trio from Guyana, Trinidad & Tobago, and Switzerland; German actress Sylvia Barth; and a variety of Barbadian artistes.
Carnaval on the Mile (2–3 March) in Coral Gables features “all things Miami”, including live music, children’s entertainment, art and cuisine. Powered by the Kiwanis Club of Little Havana, it’s one of the signature events of Carnaval Miami (running to 6 April), along with the highly anticipated Calle Ocho Music Festival (10 March) — the city’s largest Latin music festival, spanning 15 street blocks in Little Havana.
Sporting action at the prestigious Sandy Lane Gold Cup (2 March); vibes at the Barbados Reggae Festival (28 April–1 May); and the best traditional Bajan fare and entertainment at Oistins Fish Festival (29 March–1 April) add to Barbados’ festive magic.
Get ready to dance as top electronic dance music artistes drop exciting beats at the SXM Music Festival (11–18 March). The dancing continues for SXM Carnival (16 March–30 April).
Breezy, sun-filled days paired with a combination of camaraderie and fierce racing await at the Antigua Superyacht Challenge (11–17 March), Antigua Classic Yacht Regatta (17–22 April), and Antigua Sailing Week (27 April–3 May).
Over in Trinidad, Jazz Artists on the Greens (16 March) promises a slate of unforgettable performances, while literature takes centre stage with four days of events for readers and writers of all ages at the NGC Bocas Lit Fest (25–28 April). Here, no Caribbean story is too small.
Montserrat’s Irish heritage makes it one of the only places outside Ireland to celebrate St Patrick’s Day (17 March) as a holiday. A freedom run, street parades, hikes, pub crawls, and traditional games are just a bit of the fun.
Phagwa or Holi (25 March) — the cherished Hindu “Festival of Colours, Love and Spring” — is observed in Guyana, Trinidad & Tobago, Suriname, and Jamaica with singing, dancing, and spraying abeer (or abir) on fellow celebrants of all backgrounds.
Easter in Tobago is a special time, filled with egg hunts, kite-flying, bonnet parades, and the season’s favourite activity: goat and crab racing in Buccoo and Mt Pleasant around the long Easter weekend (29 March–1 April). Then later in April, don’t miss the Tobago Jazz Experience.
There’s lots of Easter action in Guyana too, where ranchers and cowboys showcase their skills with horses and bulls at the well-loved Rupununi Rodeo. Spectators can engage in various contests like a rigorous tug-of-war, dance-off to country music, watermelon-eating, barrel races, dirt-bike races, and lots more excitement. If you prefer water races, the Bartica Easter Regatta is a must!
Some call Jamaica the home of rhythm and sway. The tempo certainly changes during Jamaica Carnival (3–9 April), however, with non-stop soca hits at breakfast parties, fetes, J’ouvert, and the grand parade.
Take in world-class visual storytelling from award-winning regional and international filmmakers at the Miami Film Festival (5–14 April) and Curaçao International Film Festival (10–24 April).
Fancy an open water swim? Try the Nevis to St Kitts Cross Channel Swim (6 April), a 2.5 mile swim across the Narrows — a strait that separates the islands, and traverses where the Caribbean Sea and Atlantic Ocean currents meet.
Indulge in complimentary drinks, discounts on exquisite menus, and opportunities to win prizes including dinner for two during St Lucia Restaurant Week (21–28 April).
Protecting Mother Earth is paramount, and for Earth Day (22 April) and beyond, you can participate in a range of important activities — from beach clean-ups and planting trees, to utilising reusable containers and unplugging electronic devices not in use.
April sees traditional Bahamian sloops take to the water in the National Family Island Regatta (23–27 April) in Exuma, The Bahamas, where they’ll compete to be best in class.
