The Caribbean offers carnivals in any season and for all kind of taste. Join us from island to island, around a trip that will reveal the magic and the color of a Caribbean which is an endless party.

Some traces of Carnival are seen in the Greeks’ rites to pay homage to Bacchus God. Others refer its location to the Christian calendar; the word carnival means "farewell of the flesh" and marks the beginning of Quadragesimal and its hard disciplines. In any case, the influence of African rhythms in music and in the joyful element of this event is not less important. In the 19th century the working population imitated and made fun of colonial authorities through carnival fiestas. With the passing of time, a number of carnival characters have become indispensable during the spell . The little devils, Jab Jabs, the Burrokeets or dunkeys with human shape, giants that walk with stilts by the name of Moko Jumbies and the unforgettable clowns Pierrot, are some examples of these carnival characters.

Trinidad & Tobago The oldest and largest carnival held in the Caribbean is that of Trinidad. The carnival spell lasts from January until one week after the two great days of Carnival that in the present year 2000 are March 6 and 7. Each year at 2:00 a.m. on Carnival Monday, the first groups of musicians and the public go around the streets. It is the "Day Begun" celebrations. It is regarded as a rite for the musicians. During the day, the largest concentration of traditional bands known as "Pretty Mas" takes place. On Monday, at supper time, the great masquerade of the bands take place filling the streets. The competitions of Panorama have begun and steel bands, some with over one hundred members. At the same time, the different stages of the competition to choose the queen and the king of Calypso and Soca are being held. It is Tuesday and all the bands compete in a new universe of color and sound to win the title of the Band of the Year, in the colossal scenery of Queen's Park Savannah. In the evening, "night mas" is held, another great night concentration, but Carnival has already ended after midnight. As a colophon of all this explosion of joy, the king and queen of carnival are chosen. Music is one of the main ingredients, one of the component is the steelpan, an instrument invented here. These islands are the land of Calypso, this musical style comes from "chantuelles," whose music used to cheer carnival spell in the 19th century.

ARUBA Though the carnival celebrations take place during the previous week of the beginning of the Quadragesimal (before Ash Wednesday), the official spell begins at 11 a.m. of the 11th day of the 11th month of the year. This is the starting point so that the people starts working on the costumes they will wear at the parades and floats. However, the real parties do not begin after January 6. "Jump-ups" are typical, these are street celebrations with all the Caribbean flavor. The most impressing of them all is Oranjestaad’s Great Parade being held the Sunday previous to Ash Wednesday. Tumba and Calypso festivals are also traditional. Several groups, some of them comprising one hundred members participate with their disguises in the parades, headed by their own queen. They usually have their own music band and tour the streets in floats. The music for dancing in the parade is headed by the Roadmarch King or Queen who have been the winners elected every year in the competition of march songs. The parade advances at the tune of soca and calypso rhythm at the jamming and winning style. This style is known in Aruba as the "socarengue," a sort of merge between soca and merengue. Calypso, from Trinidad, has benn a part of Aruba’s Carnival sice 1964. The winner of the musical competitions is chosen among the most popular musicians of Aruba and is named "The Singer of Town".

St. Martin and St. Maarten Carnival in these islands is the major cultural and the most expected event and during the whole year, thus becoming every year in a powerful attractive resort for tourism and for the people in the nearbyislands. An endless line of floats, customes with feathers and bright items is found all over the streets where the Big Parades hold in Marigot (the capital of the French area) and in Philipsburg (capital of the Dutch area). In this season, Carnival Village becomes the truly capital of the island where everyone goes to encourage his favorite music band or dancing group, then Vaval will be burnt, according to the tradition, in Marigot and King Moumou in Philipsburg in the last hours of the festivities. In Saint Martin this is a huge party that links customs and Carnival’s ways of celebrations of all the surrounding islands. Caribbean carnival is characterized by its street parties where different groups, disguised with all kinds of costumes, spread all over the city streets. The sound of the music bands accompanies the masquerade parades. In Sint Maarten, Carnival lasts from April to May, starting at the Holy Week. The heart of all the celebrations is Philipsburg, the capital. Carnival is presided over by a figure full of thatch, King Moumou, the leader of Carnival, his kingdom is characterized by happiness and a overwhelmed celebrations. Especially attractive is the Great Parade of Carnival where meerrymakers disguised with costumes from buccaneers to butterflies, dance and parade along Philipsburg’s streets.

Martinique In Martinique Carnival is held from March 4-8, 2000. The parties begin much before since January and when everything seems to have an end, again new celebrations relive the whole spirit of Carnival. Puppets named Bwa Bwa are dressed in fantastic outfits, taken from one side to the other while nègres gros-sirop (merrymakers whose bodies are covered with tar and sugar cane, appear in the midst of a crowd playing with the children. The main caricature of this Carnival is Marianne La Po Fig, dressed in dry banana leaves, "Fig" is the Creole term for banana and Marianne represents the fragility of the fruit. Monday, March 6 is the day for mockery in Martinique, the day for Mock Weddings with men disguised as pregnant fiancées or as women with blonde wigs while women dressed as impeccable male fiancés. Carnival Tuesday (March 7) is the day of Red Devils with glorious parades, the eyes are fixed on legions of children dressed with bright costumes of devils. A horrible mask of animal skin and horns, dressed in a red overall, decorated with hundreds of bright mirrors and small bells generating a sound on account of the movement. For the rest of the Christian world, Ash Wednesday (March 8) is a day for praying; however, in Martinique this is the day of Female Devils (La Fête of Diablesses) and participants observe in mourning outfits, the end of Carnival with the symbolic death of the King of Carnival. Only two colors are worn: black and white. The end of Carnival spell is marked by a giant colorful figure, the King of Carnival, known as Vaval, as well as its alter ego, Bwa Bwa. Rumors of the King’s death have been disseminated. The festivity continues when he is burnt at the stake during his funeral. When the figure of Vaval is thrown at the stake, dances reach the highest level and while burning the crowd sings "Vaval pas quitte nous" (Carnival does not leave us).Celebrations are characterized by a mischievous spirit and this continues to such an extent that the island repeats Carnival at a smaller scale, holding of an official party by the name of Mi-Carême or Mid-Lent (literally half of Quadragesimal). March 30, 2000, is the end of Vaval; however, visitors can see people on costume and parading, bands are also parading and more parties are held and much rum drunk is drunk within the spirit and style of Martinique’s Carnival.

St. Kitts & Nevis The distinctive feature of Carnival in St. Kitts & Nevis is that it is held from December 24 to January 3, coinciding with Christmas. These double celebrations are a mix of traditional folklore as (the Bull, Masquerades, Mocho Jumbies, Clowns and String Bands) with the most modern troupes thus representing the most interesting aspects of life in St. Kitts. Carnival celebrations last 10 days featuring competitions such as Calypso Monarch contest, the selection of the Carnival Queen and elections of the Young Talents of the Caribbean, plus the traditional masquerades, street dances and other cultural presentations. All this is mixed with Christmas celebrations thus rendering a very special atmosphere. This is the atmosphere that urge all visitors to participate in the celebrations. J´Ouvert cannot be missed early in the morning on the 26th with parties and dances along Basseterre streets. On New Year’s day, multicolor parades fill the streets, performing symbolic representations of the islands’ culture, thus appearing an endless number of masks, clowns and costumes. To end Carnival celebrations, the last day is characterized by the repetition of the whole folklore, usually known as "last lap" (last stage). Bands appear again along Basseterre streets for the last time.

Curaçao While all Carnival celebrations in the Caribbean exhibit magic and color in their parades and street parties, in Curaçao we can find the additional attraction of Tumba Festival. This music event gathers the best composers, singers and local bands so as to achieve that their music number is chosen as the official annual Carnival Road March. Carnival inauguration ceremony is held in January with activities being held at Willemstad along with the election of the King and Queen at Festival Center. Along February, the most varied parades are held like the Children Parade. Adults bid farewell to Carnival with the Carnival Farewell March, the previous afternoon to Ash Wednesday. It consists of a large night parade whose special magic is found in the charm of its floats, decorated with lights, ending with the traditional burn of King Momo. But before Carnival is over, a large number of parties are held: "Ban Topa" is a traditional midnight parade. Banda Bou March: Carnival reaches the most western part of the island, starting at Barber city. Grand March: This is the great tour of the season, a full day of enjoyment on Willemstad streets. Carnival March Tips. This is a route on parades that varies from year to year, but always takes place in Otrabanda.

The Bahamas Junkanoo is a glamorous national celebration, born from the old African traditions only held two times a year: "Boxing Day," December 26 and New Year’s Day. All the people wear costumes and go across Nassau, at the tune of cowbells, loudspeakers, whistles also at the strong beat of drums -made of goat skin- and other home-made instruments. Groups compete in the parades with elaborate costumes and floats made of cartons, wire and papié mâché, these groups parade along the main capital’s arteries: Bay and Shirley streets. A wide sample of the costumes worn in parades of previous years can be seen at Museum of Junkano and Junkano Export located on Prince George Wharf.

Anguilla For almost five days, the dance, competitions, fairs, costumes and parades provide color to the afternoons in this island, days develop full of emotions with the holding of parties along the beach and boat racing, Anguilla’s national sport. Like in the rest of the islands, the celebrations have the color, the music and enjoyment that characterize Carnival. However what distinguishes this island is its official championship of boat racing with which the color of Carnival parties intermingles with the water sport.

Cayman Islands The 17th edition of this Carnival will take place in George Town. It is characterized by live calypso and soca bands in a street masked parade. The program for the year 2000 comprises a Carnival’s Sea Festival in Little Cayman (March 4). The Great Annual Parade which begins at 4:00 a.m. and Batabano Carnival (April 29).

Antigua Jumpin´n´Jammin´ Carnival takes place during the last week of July and ends the first Monday and Tuesday of August. J´Ouvert, one of the great moments of Carnival begins at 4 a.m. in the morning of the first Monday of August. The music of the steelbands accompany the Jumpin´n´Jammin´ crowd along St. John’s streets. Carnival festivities end the following afternoon with a street party that usually lasts from 6 in the afternoon until midnight. Information: The Carnival Office, Long Street, St. John´s, Antigua. Phone: (268) 462-0194 or (268) 462-4707.

Dominica Mas Dominik (Carnival) starts in January and the Inauguration Parade takes place as well as the Cavalcade of the Carnival Queen, the parade of masked bands, lapo kawit bands (with drums made of goat’s skin), masks competitions. The party continues in February with the sound of lapo kawit bands that attracts hundreds of people all over the island.

St. Vincent & Grenadines Vincy Mas is the largest celebration of St. Vincent & Grenadines’s Carnival. It takes place at the end of June and the beginning of July and thus includes the election of the King and Queen of the bands, Carnival Junior, Miss Carnival Beauty Show, Calypso competitions and Steelbands, street parties and band parades. Carnival is really spectacular with costumes, shows, calypsos, parades, music and parties in all the islands of the archipelago.

US Virgin Islands Carnival is celebrated in different dates on this archipelago, according with the island. In St. Thomas, Carnival is held between April and May, after the Holy Week. However in St. John takes place in July. Its origin dates back to the times when Africans reached the islands, when its festivities were called bamboulas and based on a rite which praised Dahomey’s gods. Then the rite was replaced by Christian practices until reaching what we know today as Carnival. Mocko Jumbi is a traditional Jumpin´n´Jammin´ symbol of Carnival, the "high spirit" raises in its 17-foot stilts, dressed in bright colors and covered with tiny pieces of mirrors. The parade is led by this figure. Information: St. Thomas. (340) 776-3112.

When the Carnival TAkes place

Anguilla: Primeros diez días de agosto / First ten days of August. Antigua: Entre el 25 de julio y el 2 de agosto / Between July 25 and August 2. Aruba: Febrero / February. Bahamas: Junkanoo: Boxing Day (26 de diciembre) y Año Nuevo / Boxing Day (December 16) and the New Year. Junkanoo Festival: Todos los fines de semana de junio / All the weekends in June. Cayman: Batabano, en abril y Semana de los Piratas, en octubre / Batabano in April and Pirates’ Week in October. Curaçao: En febrero / In February. Dominica: En febrero . Los días centrales de los Carnavales coinciden con el lunes y martes anteriores al Miércoles de Ceniza / In February. The main days are Monday and Tuesday, before Ash Wednesday. Martinica: En febrero / In February. Sint Maarten: Después de la Pascua de Semana Santa, es decir, en el mes de abril / After Easter of the HlyWeek, i.e., in April. St. Croix (USVI): A finales de diciembre y en enero, pero mezclado con las festividades navideñas / At the end of December and in January but mixed with Christmas festivities. St. John (USVI): En julio / In July. St. Kitts y Nevis: Del 24 de diciembre al 3 de enero / From december 24 to January 3. St. Martin: En febrero / In February. St. Thomas (USVI): Entre marzo y abril / Between March and April. St. Vincent y Grenadinas: Entre el 25 de junio y el 6 de julio / Between June 26 and July 6. Trinidad y Tobago: El Carnaval tradicional tiene lugar en febrero, antes del Miércoles de Ceniza. Pero en otoño se celebra el Festival de Tobago / Traditional Carnival takes place in February before Ash Wednesday, but Tobago Festival is held in autumn.