Mystique of the Fete! Discover the Top 8 Island Carnivals in the World
The magnificent spectacle of Carnival is rooted in colonialism, religious conversion, and freedom from slavery. Three essential elements of the fabulously dramatic celebration are music, dancing, and masquerade. Revelers come from around the globe to take part in island carnivals complete with grooving to electrifying steel drum performances, seeing multicolored peacock or ostrich feathers, wearing intricately designed headdress, and enjoying wild, loud, and edgy behavior. Visit their websites and Instagram pages to get carnival dates in order to behold the splendor of the costumes and performances in varying locales. The fabulous scenes are only matched by the stunning beauty of the picturesque host islands themselves.
Trinidad and Tobago Carnival, Trinidad and Tobago
@trinidadandtobagocarnival
This carnival is known as the “Greatest Show on Earth” and the “Mother of Carnival” as it is said, from its inception in the 18th century, to have inspired many of the Caribbean carnivals that followed. It is officially celebrated on the Monday and Tuesday before Ash Wednesday annually. Carnival Monday commences with J’ouvert at 4:00 a.m. Partygoers parade through the streets covered in paint, grease, and mud, reveling until sunrise. The masqueraders line the streets later on Monday and all day on Carnival Tuesday. Thousands of masqueraders flood the streets in bold, colorful, fabulous costumes. They dance and dance to the thrilling sounds of soca, steel pan, and calypso music. Over several weeks of carnival, events include Calypso Tents, “Pan in de Sancoche”, Musical Showdown in de Big Yard, Dimanche Gras, Carnival Comedy, and Calypso Fiesta.
Insider’s Tip on Upscale Accommodations: Hyatt Regency or Magdalena Grand Beach Resort
Junkanoo Carnival, Bahamas
@visitthebahamas
It’s been said that the Junkanoo Carnival first originated more than 300 hundreds years ago when the slaves celebrated on their few days off work during the year. It is also said to have been named for African tribal chief John Canoe. Whatever the derivation, on Boxing Day and New Year’s Day, there is a wondrous celebration. It features live music with accents of West African drum rhythms, American blues, and Caribbean culture in the drums, cowbells, brass horns, and whistles. The attendees, dressed in elaborate costumes that they spend months on end designing, dance in the streets of Downtown Nassau. The groups like the Valley Boys, One Family, The Prodigal Sons, Roots, and Saxons vie for the title of “Best Junkanoo Group”.
Insider’s Tip on Upscale Accommodations: Atlantis Paradise Island or The Ocean Club
Antigua Carnival, Antigua
@antiguaandbarbuda
Art, culture, music, heritage, and cuisine abound at this spectacular multi-day experience. The celebration features steel bands, calypso, parades, and troupes of masqueraders in multicolored costumes. In a magical way, Antigua fuses traditional and modern culture in a festive carnival of street parties, beauty pageants, talent shows, concerts, food fairs, and competitions. Celebrating emancipation on August 1, 1834, the festivities include the Party Monarch and Calypso Monarch competitions of Calypsonians, Jaycees Queen’s Competition, and the Panorama steel band competition. Popular activities include the magnificent Parade of Bands to the Queen of Carnival Pageant, Mr. and Mrs. Teenage Pageant, and Emancipation Watch Night Celebrations.
Insider’s Tip on Upscale Accommodations: Hammock Cove Resort & Spa or Sandals Grande
St. Lucia Carnival, St. Lucia
@travelsaintlucia
A true celebration of Caribbean culture, history, and creativity, revelers take part in parties, competitions, and fetes such as the Power and Groovy Monarch, Senior and Junior Panoramas, Steel Pan Competitions, and the Inter-Commercial House Calypso Completion. There are dozens of community events and of course a continuous calendar of parties. The energy is in the air as the street parade of live bands, and music featuring DJs blast throughout the day.
Insider’s Tip on Upscale Accommodations: Jade Mountain Resort or Marigot Bay Resort
Mas Domnik Carnival, Dominica
@discoverdominica
Known as “The Real Mas” because it holds true to past African and French traditions, revelers enjoy a cultural explosion of music, art, dancing, and singing in the streets. Originally founded to celebrate freedom from slavery, carnival attendees masquerade in costumes such as Sense or BwaBwa, dance to Calypso and Bouyon music through the early hours, and groove to drumming by the La Po Kabwit Band. The festivities also include Showdown Mas Camp, Panorama by de Bay, and Carnival Mothers Queen Show.
Insider’s Tip on Upscale Accommodations: Secret Bay Resort or Cabrits Resort & Spa
Crop Over Carnival, Barbados
@visitbarbados
This premier event began more than 300 years ago when the Bajans celebrated the end of sugar cane growing season. It has evolved into a fabulous festival of Barbados heritage, music, dance, culture, food, and art in which visitors, including superstar Rihanna, come to visit. The culturally immersive celebration includes the Grand Kadooment Day, Pic-O-De-Crop Competition, Cohobblopot, Tune-of-the-Crop, People’s Choice Soca Monarch Competition, Bridgetown Market Street Fair, and Ceremonial Delivery of the Last Canes.
Insider’s Tip on Upscale Accommodations: The Sandpiper or Sandy Lane Hotel
Spicemas Carnival, Grenada
@puregrenada
Celebrating African, French, British, and Caribbean heritage, the carnival is presented by the tri-island state of Grenada, Carriacou, and Petite Martinique. The crowd can witness Grenada’s top calypsonians, power soca and groovy soca artistes compete for coveted titles of Calypso Monarch, Soca Monarch, and Groovy Monarch. Steel bands compete for the Panorama Champion. Other festivities include Carnival Sunday’s Canboulay, Jab-Jabs parading through the streets beating drums, and performances by Fancy and Traditional Mas’ Bands. Participants cover themselves in paint, oil, tar, mud, molasses, or chocolate to prepare for the J’ouvert parade.
Insider’s Tip on Upscale Accommodations: Royalton Grenada or Coyaba Beach Resort
Vincy Mas Carnival, St. Vincent and The Grenadines
@stvincentandgrenadines
This summer festival typically begins the last Friday in June. The spectacular celebration is complete with calypso, soca, and steel pan performances. Tourists dance in the streets as the locales honor their culture, heritage, and tradition. J’Ouvert begins at pre-dawn. Throughout the celebration there is the Miss Saint Vincent Competition, Miss Carnival, Carnival King and Queen Competition, Soca Monarch Competition, and the Junior Pan Fest. A huge crowd pleaser is the Mardi Gras Parade of the Bands.
Insider’s Tip on Upscale Accommodations: Bequia Beach Hotel or Palm Island Resort
This article previously appeared in the August-September 2022 issue of Upscale magazine.
For an in-depth look at carnivals worldwide, visit www.Carnivaland.net. To make reservations, visit Hotels.com, Expedia.com, or VRBO.com. To have a specially curated trip planned just for you, contact Brenda O’neale of With This Ring Destination Wedding and Honeymoon Travel Agency at https://www.withthisringdwh.com/. Follow Leslie E. Royal @LesliesLane.
