Barbados is rich in cultural diversity, and hosts many Festivals throughout the year. This year 2007, is extra special as Barbados is host to the ICC Cricket World Cup Super Eight Matches and the final match at Kensington Oval, therefore there are extra events all under the banner of Festival Barbados from March 1st until April 30 2007.
Barbados Jazz Festival
Held in January, this festival attracts many internationally renowned musicians who perform over the course of the week at various venues island wide; culminating in the final event, Jazz on the Hill held at Farley Hill national park.
Cool Jazz
This series of Jazz events take place on the last Sunday of the month from January until June. It is held at the Plantation Garden Theatre and showcases the best in local and regional jazz talent.
Windfest
Held at the end of the January, there is the annual Windfest, a 3 day wind and kite surfing competition held at Silver Rock Beach in Christ Church.
Holetown Festival
Held in February, this weeklong celebration is homage to the first English settlers who came to Barbados in 1627. It is a mixture of street fairs, theatrical and musical performances, arts and crafts, history, and of course, a beauty pageant.
Agrofest
Also held in February, this event is to showcase the talents of local farmers. It highlights the best of Barbadian crop and is aimed at the general public as well as those in the industry. You can see the popular Sheep Show, Dairy and Beef Show, Adorable Dog Show, The BHS Flower exhibit, Petting Zoo, Caribbean Cuisine, Farmer's Market, Shopping Bazaar, Educational Area Children's Entertainment Area, Donkey Rides, Art & Craft Village, Live entertainment throughout the weekend and the Mounted Police Tattoo.
Barbados Sandy Lane Gold Cup Festival
Held in March, this starts with The Sandy Lane Gold Cup horse race, which attracts a crowd from all over the world. This is the one time of year that Broadway comes to Barbados, with performances at The Frank Collymore Hall and at Holder's Season.
Holders Season
Also held in March, this is one of the Caribbean's most exclusive and glamorous events and sees performances from a variety of music and Theatre groups, ranging from opera to comedy from London's West End and New York's Broadway.
Festival Barbados
For 2007 only to mark the opening of the ICC Cricket World Cup being played from March 5 in Barbados, there will be Festival Barbados running from March 1 until April 30 2007. This sees many events such as art exhibitions, sailing cruises, historical tours, walks, cultural activities, fish frys, horse racing, concerts, shows, lectures, polo, and Theatre.
Bridgetown Film Festival
Held at the end of April, this event celebrates Caribbean talent in the film industry. The festival screens films made in Barbados, Trinidad, St. Lucia, Jamaica, Cuba, Brazil, Senegal, India, UK, France and Russia. It focuses on short films and feature films, music videos and clips.
The Barbados Rally Carnival
Held in May this is a weeklong extravaganza of local and international high performance vehicles of various class descriptions, racing at different stages throughout the island during the two day Rally Barbados All-Stage event.
Celtic Festival
Also held in May, this is a tribute to the rather large community of originally Celtic immigrants, which is held in the middle of the month.
Barbados Gospelfest
Again in May we hold the regional festival of gospel music and culture.
Bajan Unifest University Sporting Festival
Held in June is the weeklong culmination of Hockey, Cricket, Netball, Football, Tennis and Swimming, held at the university campus as well as various other locations.
Cropover Festival
Held in July this is one of our biggest festivals, and this has some major related events that lead up to Kadooment day in August.
The Cropover celebrations start off with the Opening Gala held in Queen's Park, Bridgetown. Pic-o-de-crop semi-finals happen in the middle of the month, with the finals the following week.
Pic-o-de-crop is a competition for the best of the year's new calypso songs, judged on technicalities by professionals in the music industry. There is also as the Party Monarch and Roadmarch competitions, which are songs chosen by the general public for the best party song, and the song that's best on the road Kadooment Day.
The last Saturday in July is Foreday Morning, which is a big street party, held in Independence Square from midnight to sunrise. The following day is Bridgetown Market, a favourite Bajan tradition over the Cropover season. This is the biggest street fair of the year, where a major part of the Spring Garden Highway is shut down to motor vehicles and opened up to pedestrians and local craftsmen peddling their fayre. Local crafts and food are in no short supply at the Bridgetown market, it's just one big "lime".
In August the Crop Over celebrations are culminated with Kadooment Day, which is simply one massive street party. Various bands, each with a particular theme and dressed in colourful, vibrant, skimpy costumes, accumulate early in the morning at the Stadium.
They cross the stage and perform a beautiful parade celebrating our beautiful culture. The bands are assembled from the local community and foreigners who all want to "jump up" - a term used to describe following the band through the byways and down to the Spring Garden Highway in the continuous parade of colourful costumes and flare. The parade then ends on the highway where most of the stalls from the previous Bridgetown Market are still providing delicious fayre to feed the masses.
Barbados Hockey Federation Banks Hockey Festival
Still in August, later on in the month is a week of fabulous hockey played by many international teams from Europe, the UK and North America, accentuated by Bajan warmth and culture.
National Independence Festival of Creative Arts (NIFA)
September sees the beginning of is also another local festival celebrating the arts. Over a span of three months, various local artists compete in the fields of drama, music, dance, photography, fine art, sculpture, pottery, craft and painting as their talent is displayed at various venues island-wide. The finalists in each category are showcased in one central venue throughout the month of November.
Barbados National Surfing Championships
In Mid October, local surfers of varying ages and ability compete in different fields for the national championship, a prelude to the international championships held in November.
Blowin' in the Windies Youth Jazz Festival
Also held in October we see bands from the UK, Caribbean, USA and Canada.
Independence Pro Surfing Championships and Banks Pro Long Board Classic at Soup Bowl
Held in November, this two-day major international surfing competition attracts many of the world's most famous surfers.
In summary:
January - Barbados Jazz Festival, Windfest
January to June - Cool Jazz
February - Holetown Festival, Agrofest
March - Sandy Lane Gold Cup Festival, Holder's Season
March to April - Festival Barbados
April - Bridgetown Film Festival
May - The Barbados Rally Carnival, Celtic Festival, Barbados Gospelfest
June - Bajan Unifest University Sporting Festival
July to August - Cropover, Barbados Hockey Federation Banks Hockey Festival
September - November - National Independence Festival of Creative Arts (NIFCA)
October - Barbados National Surfing Championships, Blowin' in the Windies Youth Jazz Festival
November - Independence Pro Surfing Championships and Banks Pro Long Board Classic at Soup Bowl
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