Dominica may be small, but we know how to party!
All year, there are loads of exciting events and activities to suit all.
VILLAGE FEASTS
Many villages around the island hold feasts on the day of their patron saint.. Fete Isidore for instance is celebrated in Grand Bay and petite Soufriere villages in May.
FEBRUARY
CARNIVAL, or ‘The Real Mas’, is a pre-Lenten festival, and usually falls in February or March each year. It is unquestionably the most festive season in Dominica. It is hard to miss the fervour of the people’s loyalty to their favourite calypsonian or pageant during the preceding months of the Calypso Final and the National Queen Show.
THE CARIBBEAN’S MOST ORIGINAL CARNIVAL
APRIL TO JUNE
DOMFESTA – Dominica Festival of Arts , which runs from April to June, showcases theatrical and dance performances, concerts, and artistic workshops geared at developing local artistic expressions.
MAY
TOURISM AWARENESS MONTH – Celebrated annually during the month of May, Tourism Awareness Month’s aim is to increase awareness of the tourism and hospitality industry’s economic, cultural and social contributions to our Nature Isle, Dominica.
JAZZ ‘CREOLE – Jazz ‘n Creole presented by Discover Dominica Authority (DDA) is held annually on Pentecost Sunday. The event is a means of attracting visitors from the neighboring French islands as well as the wider Caribbean to Dominica and serves as an avenue for showcasing local Jazz artists on the island, as well as foreign acts. Held in the inviting, casual atmosphere of the Cabrits National Park/ Fort Shirley, patrons are afforded the opportunity to mingle in the relaxing ambiance of one of Dominica major tourism site attractions.
GIRAUDEL – EGGLESTON VILLAGE FLOWER SHOW – Flower show held jointly by the two villages of Giraudel and Eggleston, located in the foothills of Morne Anglais.
Hike Fest One of the best ways to Discover Dominica! Every year as part of Tourism Awareness Month, the Dominica hotel Association organises, on the first three Saturdays in May, four wonderful hikes in the Nature Isle.
JULY
DIVE FEST
The Dominica Watersports Association holds its annual Dive Fest in early July.
The event provides whale watching deals, special dive packages, snorkeling picnics, canoe racing, and marine educational tours.
AUGUST
Emancipation Day
Public Holiday – 1st Monday in August
The Nature Island Literary Festival & Book Fair is normally held on the first weekend of August at the UWI Open Campus Grounds in Roseau and forms part of the Emancipation Day Celebrations.
The three day event comprises prose and poetry readings, storytelling, music, film, interviews, book fair, competitions and workshops for adults and children.
Entrance if free.
COCHRANE RBBIT FESTIVAL : The village of Cochrane is host to the annual Rabbit Festival.
This event is organised by the Rabbit Festival Committee and held every year, usually in August.
Enjoy Games, Exhibitions, Rabbit Races, Kids Corner.
Try local cuisine, specialising in rabbit!
LAYOU’S ANNUAL TITIWI FESTIVAL celebrates the small fish known as the “titiwi.” The people of Layou have been eating titiwi for a long time, and it has become part of their heritage. They have built a unique local cuisine around this small fish and the Titiwi Festival gives everyone else a chance to taste it!
Fun activities include, ATV rides, boat rides, beach football, sack races, and more.
There is plenty of food and drink available, as well as music and an art & crafts exhibition.
All this where the bank of the Layou River meets the beautiful Caribbean Sea!
GOAT FEST – LA PLAINE VILLAGE – a farming area, celebrates Goat fest every year, goat food, goat race, and everything goat
END OF OCTOBER
Three nights of pulsating rhythms! A celebration of Creole music held annually in October. A fantastic cultural event that fillsevery room on the island, so book early
OCTOBER – NOVEMBER
INDEPENDENCE CELEBRATIONS: Every year, the country commemorates it’s Independence with a season of cultural activities which lasts about 6 weeks. These celebrations portray examples of the island’s cultural influences. The traditional dances display European traces in Hill & Toe, Waltz, and Quadrille; and borrow from African native dances in Bèlè.
This mélange of Creole culture predominates at this time of year, as villages and communities throughout the island compete to show their superiority in preserving and developing different cultural expressions.
Certain days, such as Kwèyòl Day, Heritage Day, and National Day promote different aspects of the island’s cultural heritage. The government also holds parades and rallies for all to express their allegiance to the country.
Dominica received its independence from Britain on November 3rd 1978.
Here are some of the aspects you shouldn’t miss!
National Dress – The Wob Dwiyet is the centrepiece of this stunning costume and is widely worn. The last Friday before Independence is Creole Day and all Dominicans will wear at least some variation of the national dress.
Jing Ping – Our traditional music, it is formally known as the Accordian Band and features the Bamboo Flute, the Boom Boom (a long bamboo wind instrument), the Gwaj (an idiophone) and of course the Accordian.
National Dance – Our Quadrille and Bele dances evoke a time of elegance but with a distinct Caribbean flavour.
Market Day with A Difference – Our markets are generally a riot of colour, but at Independence they embrace the mood. Each week at one market around the island vendors will dress in national costume, and Jing Ping will be playing!
National Food – Independence would not be complete without enjoying our unique dishes. Crab-backs, Callaloo, Titiwi accras are just some of the many delicious foods you’ll be able to try at this time of year.
National Day of Community Service
Public Holiday – November 4
DIFFERENT MONTHS
INTERNATIONAL CRICKET at the Windsor Park Stadium. Dominica is the newest venue for international cricket in the Caribbean but has quickly become known as the cricket-loving capital of the Caribbean because of the fusion of culture and cricket. The mix of traditional culture of bois bois, sensei, lapo kabwit and steel pan and the passion of the Dominican people for cricket come together to bring the stadium alive. So come for the cricket, the fun or the fete or for all three reasons, but just come!