Caribbean Carnival Dates 2025

 

Caribbean Carnival is more than just a festive event—it’s a vibrant expression of island culture. For months, anticipation builds until every street bursts into life with color, music, and movement. Across the Caribbean, communities come together to showcase their heritage through dynamic parades, rhythmic beats, and intricate costumes that tell the stories of their people.

Carnival Dates by Month

January 2025

St. Kitts and Nevis – Sugar Mas (National Carnival)

  • Location: Basseterre, St. Kitts
  • Dates: December 23, 2024 – January 3, 2025
  • Details: Celebrations include J’ouvert on January 1 and the Grand Parade on January 2.

Montserrat – Montserrat Festival

  • Location: Plymouth, Montserrat
  • Dates: December 15, 2024 – January 1, 2025
  • Details: Features street parades, calypso competitions, and cultural shows, culminating in the New Year’s Day Parade.

Puerto Rico – Fiestas de la Calle San Sebastián (SanSe Festival)

  • Location: Old San Juan
  • Dates: January 16 – 19, 2025
  • Details: A large street festival filled with parades, local music, dance, and artisan markets, marking the close of the island’s holiday season.

February 2025

Trinidad and Tobago – Trinidad Carnival

  • Location: Port of Spain, Trinidad
  • Dates: March 3 – 4, 2025 (carnival events begin in January)
  • Details: One of the world’s largest carnivals, featuring J’ouvert, extravagant costumes, and competitions like Panorama (steelpan) and Soca Monarch.

Dominican Republic – Dominican Republic Carnival

  • Location: La Vega and Santiago
  • Date: February 12, 2025
  • Details: Known for the iconic “Diablo Cojuelo” masqueraders, this carnival includes vibrant parades, traditional dances, and cultural performances.

Grenada – Carriacou Carnival

  • Location: Carriacou
  • Dates: February 3 – 4, 2025
  • Details: Famous for Shakespeare Mas, where performers engage in theatrical battles with Shakespearean verses, alongside parades and traditional “Jab Jab” masqueraders.

Haiti – Kanaval

  • Location: Port-au-Prince and other cities
  • Dates: February 16 – 18, 2025
  • Details: Includes vibrant parades, music, dance, and elaborate costumes.

Dominica – Mas Domnik

  • Location: Roseau, Dominica
  • Dates: February 24 – 25, 2025
  • Details: Known as “The Real Mas,” featuring traditional sensay costumes, Lapo Kabwit bands, and calypso competitions.

 

March 2025

Aruba – Aruba Carnival

  • Location: Oranjestad, Aruba
  • Dates: March 1 – 2, 2025
  • Details: Culminates with the Grand Parade on March 2, featuring elaborate costumes and floats.

Guadeloupe – Guadeloupe Carnival

  • Location: Basse-Terre, Guadeloupe
  • Dates: March 2 – 5, 2025
  • Details: A lively event with parades, music, and traditional costumes, culminating on Ash Wednesday.

Martinique – Martinique Carnival

  • Location: Fort-de-France, Martinique
  • Dates: February 26 – March 5, 2025
  • Details: A vibrant celebration with parades, music, and traditional characters like the “Neg Gwo Siwo.”

Curaçao – Curaçao Carnival

  • Location: Willemstad, Curaçao
  • Dates: February 28 – March 5, 2025
  • Details: Features the Grand Parade known as “Gran Marcha” on March 2 and the Farewell Parade on March 4.

Bonaire – Bonaire Carnival

  • Location: Kralendijk, Bonaire
  • Dates: Mid-February – March 4, 2025
  • Details: Known for its festive parades and cultural events leading up to Ash Wednesday.

 

 

April 2025

Jamaica – Jamaica Carnival

  • Location: Kingston
  • Dates: April 23 – 29, 2025
  • Details: Jamaica’s carnival showcases road marches and high-energy fetes with soca music, street parades, and grand after-parties.

May 2025

U.S. Virgin Islands – St. Thomas Carnival

  • Location: Charlotte Amalie, St. Thomas
  • Dates: April 27 – May 3, 2025
  • Details: This carnival offers cultural displays, a food fair, calypso competitions, and colorful grand parades.

Cayman Islands – Batabano Carnival

  • Location: George Town, Grand Cayman
  • Date: May 3, 2025
  • Details: Batabano features a vibrant street parade with elaborate costumes, music, and dance, celebrating the island’s diverse culture.

Bahamas – Bahamas Carnival

  • Location: Nassau, New Providence
  • Dates: April 28 – May 3, 2025
  • Details: A celebration of Bahamian music, art, and culture, featuring concerts, street parades, and all-night parties.

Saint Maarten – Saint Maarten Carnival

  • Location: Philipsburg, Saint Maarten
  • Dates: April 16 – May 3, 2025
  • Details: A multi-week festival filled with parades, concerts, and cultural shows, culminating in the Grand Parade and Jouvert Morning.

June 2025

Bermuda – Bermuda Heroes Weekend

  • Location: Hamilton, Bermuda
  • Dates: June 5 – 15, 2025
  • Details: A series of events including J’ouvert, Parade of Bands, and raft-ups, celebrating Bermudian culture and national heroes.

July 2025

Saint Lucia – Saint Lucia Carnival

  • Location: Castries
  • Dates: July 17 – 23, 2025
  • Details: Saint Lucia Carnival features events such as Soca Monarch and street parades with vibrant costumes and infectious music.

St. Vincent and the Grenadines – Vincy Mas

  • Location: Kingstown, St. Vincent
  • Dates: July 2 – 9, 2025
  • Details: Vincy Mas includes street jump-ups, calypso contests, and a colorful parade of the bands showcasing the island’s creativity.

Antigua and Barbuda – Antigua Carnival

  • Location: St. John’s, Antigua
  • Dates: July 25 – August 5, 2025
  • Details: This carnival celebrates emancipation with a mix of pageants, cultural showcases, and the J’ouvert morning street party.

     

    August 2025

    Barbados – Crop Over Festival

    • Location: Bridgetown, Barbados
    • Dates: July 30 – August 5, 2025
    • Details: Marks the end of the sugar cane harvest with events like Kadooment Day, Foreday Morning, and the Pic-O-De-Crop calypso competition.

    Grenada – Spicemas

    • Location: St. George’s, Grenada
    • Dates: August 11 – 12, 2025
    • Details: Known for its “Jab Jab” masqueraders covered in oil or paint, featuring J’ouvert, Monday Night Mas, and Soca Monarch competitions.

    British Virgin Islands – Emancipation Festival

    • Location: Road Town, Tortola
    • Dates: August 4 – 6, 2025
    • Details: Celebrates the emancipation of slaves with parades, music, and cultural events.

    Anguilla – Anguilla Summer Festival

    • Location: The Valley, Anguilla
    • Dates: July 30 – August 6, 2025
    • Details: Features boat races, pageants, street dances, and parades celebrating Anguillian culture.

      October 2025

      Tobago – Tobago Carnival

      • Location: Scarborough
      • Dates: October 24 – 27, 2025 (TBC)
      • Details: A celebration of Tobago’s cultural heritage, featuring soca music, steelpan performances, and vibrant street parades.

      December 2025

      St. Kitts and Nevis – Sugar Mas (National Carnival)

      • Location: Basseterre, St. Kitts
      • Dates: December 23, 2025 – January 3, 2026
      • Details: The carnival offers vibrant parades, J’ouvert, and Soca Monarch competitions, bringing together elements of tradition and modern Caribbean music.

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