List of Caribbean carnivals around the world
Caribbean Carnival is the term used in the English speaking world for a series of events throughout almost the whole year that take place in many of the Caribbean islands annually and worldwide.
The Caribbean's carnivals have several common themes, all originating from Trinidad and Tobago Carnival also known as the Mother of Carnival, whose popularity and appeal began well before 1846, and gained global recognition in 1881 with the Canboulay Riots in Port Of Spain. #Trinidad Carnival is based on folklore, culture, religion, and tradition ;Old mas aka Traditional mas competition; J'ouvert celebrations inclusive of jab molassie / jab jab, Moko Jumbie Dame Lorraine Blue Devil; and a number of other Trinidad Carnival / Trinidadian traditions.
Local Caribbean Carnivals
Approximate dates are given for the concluding festivities. Carnival season may last for over a month prior to the concluding festivities, and the exact dates vary from year to year.- Anguilla — , early August
- Antigua and Barbuda
- *Antigua — Antigua Carnival, early August
- *Barbuda — Caribana, early June
- Aruba — Carnival, February, Ash Wednesday
- Barbados — Crop Over, early August
- Bahamas - Bahamas Junkanoo Carnival, first week of May
- Belize — Carnival, September
- Bermuda — Bermuda Carnival https://www.bermudacarnival.com/
- Bonaire — Carnival, February Ash Wednesday
- British Virgin Islands
- *Tortola — BVI Emancipation Festival, early August
- *Virgin Gorda — Virgin Gorda Easter Festival Celebrations, late March/early April
- Canada
- * Toronto — Caribana Toronto Caribbean Carnival
- *
- Cayman Islands — Batabano, late April/early May
- Cuba
- *Cuba — Carnival of Santiago de Cuba, July
- *Cuba — Havana Carnival, July/August
- Curaçao — Carnival, February, Ash Wednesday
- Dominica — Carnival, February, Ash Wednesday
- Dominican Republic — Dominican Carnival, February, Dominican Independence Day
- French Guiana — Carnival in French Guiana usually takes place between Epiphany and Ash Wednesday, ending on Mardi Gras.
- Grenada
- *Carriacou — Carriacou Carnival, February, Ash Wednesday
- *Grenada — Spicemas, early August
- Guadeloupe — Carnaval - February, Ash Wednesday
- Guyana — Mashramani, February 23, Guyanese Republic Day
- Guyana — Guyana Carnival, Mid-May,
- Haiti — Kanaval, February, Ash Wednesday
- Jamaica — Bacchanal, late March/early April
- Martinique — Carnival, February, Ash Wednesday
- Montserrat — Montserrat Festival, early January, New Year's Day
- Puerto Rico — Carnaval de Ponce, February, Ash Wednesday
- Saba — Saba Summer Festival, late July/early August
- Saint-Barthélemy — Carnival, February, Ash Wednesday
- Saint Lucia — Carnival, July
- Saint Kitts and Nevis
- *Saint Kitts — Carnival, December/January
- *Nevis — Culturama, late July/early August
- Saint-Martin — Carnival, February, Ash Wednesday
- Saint Vincent and the Grenadines — , late June/early July
- Saint Eustatius — Statia Carnival, late July/early August
- Sint Maarten — Carnival, late April/early May
- Trinidad and Tobago
- *Trinidad — Carnival, February, Ash Wednesday
- *Tobago — Tobago Carnival, February, Ash Wednesday
- Turks and Caicos Islands — Junkanoo Jump Up, in January
- United States Virgin Islands
- *Saint Croix — Crucian Carnival, late December/early January Three King's Day
- *Saint John — St. John Festival, June through July 3 & 4, V.I. Emancipation Day and U.S. Independence Day
- *Saint Thomas — V.I. Carnival, April through early May
- *Saba, Dutch Caribbean - carnival, late July to August.
International Caribbean Carnivals
Canada
- "Caribe-Expo" — In the city of Ottawa in Ontario, Canada.
- "Carifiesta" — In the city of Montreal in Quebec, Canada, typically 2–3 weeks before Toronto's carnival
- "Toronto Caribbean Carnival — In Toronto, Ontario, it draws close to a million visitors to the city.
- "Carnival" — In the city of Hamilton, 1 week after Toronto's Caribana.
- "Carifest" — In the city of Calgary in Alberta, Canada.
- "Cariwest" — Held annually the second week of August in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, drawing more than 60,000 visitors a year. Cariwest boasts an amazing display of masqueraders in the main parade, and is a beautiful festival full of food and entertainment in the heart of downtown.
- Barrie's Caribfest
- CariBridge Caribbean Carnival in Lethbridge Alberta brings a unique and diverse culture to southern Alberta and focuses on bringing Caribbean culture through food, music, dance, and art.
France
- Carnaval Antillais de Colombes — every year late June.
- Carnaval Tropical de Paris — every year early July.
- Carnaval de Montpellier — every year in February.
- Carnaval of French West Indies, about two months between the Sunday of Epiphany and Ash Wednesday
Germany
- Berlin — Karneval der Kulturen, every year in May
The Netherlands
- Rotterdam — "Summer Carnival" Zomercarnaval: occurs every year in July. Each year there are more than 800.000 visitors.
United Kingdom
- Birmingham — Birmingham International Carnival
- Isle of Wight
- Leicester — Leicester Caribbean Carnival
- London — Notting Hill Carnival, in Notting Hill, Northwest London,
- Leeds — Leeds West Indian Carnival, sometimes called Chapeltown Carnival; the oldest West Indian Carnival in Europe.
- Manchester — Manchester Caribbean Carnival, the second-oldest Caribbean Carnival in the country, in Alexandra Park
- Nottingham — Nottingham Caribbean Carnival, at the Forest Recreation Ground in Nottingham,
- Bristol — St Pauls Carnival
- Preston — Preston Caribbean Carnival
United States
- Atlanta Carnival Atlanta, Georgia — Last weekend in May, usually falls on Memorial Day weekend
- Austin, Texas — Carnaval Brasileiro, February 3
- Austin, Texas — Austin Summer Carnival, September 26 End of Summer Celebration, Last weekend of Summer
- Baltimore, Maryland — Baltimore Caribbean-American Festival held every July in Clifton Park neighborhood in Baltimore.
- Boston, Massachusetts — last Saturday in August, Dorchester, Massachusetts
- Cambridge, Massachusetts — Cambridge Carnival International, Sunday following Labor Day — Held in Kendall Square
- Chicago, Illinois — Windy City Carnival formerly Chicago CARIFETE, third Saturday in August, on the Midway Plaisance in the confines of the University of Chicago Campus.
- Dallas Carnival - Typically held the 3rd week in September
- Miami Broward Caribbean Carnival Miami, FL — the second weekend in October, Columbus Day weekend.
- Houston, Texas — usually the weekend around Fourth of July. For 2017, the kicks off the Houston Caribbean festival season with soca, reggae, chutney, and Latin music.
- Jersey City, New Jersey — the fourth Saturday of July from Lincoln Park parade route leading to the Festival at Exchange Place.
- Las Vegas, Nevada — Las Vegas Latin Caribfest —last weekend in October
- Long Island, New York — weekend after Labor Day Carnival — Held in Hempstead
- Los Angeles, California — Hollywood Carnival, Parade of the Bands, fourth weekend of June.
- Madison, Wisconsin — Handphibians Carnaval!, Every year close to Brazilian Carnaval. February 24/25 in 2017. http://www.madisoncarnaval.com/
- Minneapolis, Minnesota — CARIFEST — usually held the fourth weekend of July along West River Road right next to the Mississippi River.
- New Orleans, Louisiana — in November, the bayou Bacchanal is held on the first Saturday in downtown and Armstrong Park.
- New Orleans, Louisiana — The last full weekend of June, the NOLA Caribbean Festival host 7 events in 4 days including pre-parties, pool-parties, parades, and a Caribbean festival with music, food and crafts from all over the Caribbean.
- New York, New York — Labor Day Carnival — held in Brooklyn, along Eastern Parkway, with over 2.3 million visitors annually
- Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Held on Father's day weekend in the historic Fairmount Park.
- Orlando, Florida — usually held the last weekend in May, which is typically Memorial Day weekend. Most recently been held at the Citrus Bowl.
- Raleigh/Durham, North Carolina CaribMask usually held on the third Saturday in August.
- San Francisco, California — Carnaval San Francisco — last weekend in May, usually falls on Memorial Day weekend
- Seattle, Washington — Pioneer Square, annual Fat Tuesday celebration.
- Tacoma, Washington — PLU campus Carnival, near Fat Tuesday
- Tampa, Florida — usually held the beginning of June in St. Petersburg, Florida at Vinoy Park. Recently moved for 2011 to Raymond James Stadium.
- Norfolk, Virginia — Virginia CaribFest,
- Washington, D.C. — DC Caribbean Festival, usually between June 16–24 every year.
- Worcester, Massachusetts — Worcester Caribbean American Carnival, The day after Boston, MA Carnival.
- Charleston Carifest, Charleston, South Carolina — usually after Spoleto around the third weekend in June. This Carnival celebration is held in honour of Caribbean American Heritage Month. www.charlestoncarifest.com.