Grenada carnival festivities actually start in July when you can enjoy the sound of many steel bands, but the carnival itself doesn’t really get going until the beginning of August with nightly calypso shows. A week before Grenada Carnival is when the carnival queen show takes place, and carnival ends with a street jump up with dancing through the night, to be followed in the morning with traditional steel bands parading through St George’s streets.

Carnivals in the Caribbean are renowned for their vibrant music and colour. As most, but not all, of the Caribbean major festivals are of a religious nature they take place prior to Lent and finish Ash Wednesday. Costumes made for carnivals are spectacular, taking months of work. Work often begins on the following year’s costumes as soon as the current year’s carnival is over, especially in Trinidad & Tobago – the biggest carnival in the Caribbean.

There are a number of special events, not of a carnival nature, which also take place throughout the year. Below is a list of the major and most popular Grenada carnival and festivals as well as the major special events.

Grenada Carnival & Festivals

• Carriacou Carnival (Feb or March)
• Carriacou Maroon & String Band Music Festival (April)
• Grenada Drum Festival (May)
• Grenada Carnival – Spice Mas Festival (August)
• Carriacou Parang Festival (December)

Special Events in Grenada

• Spice Island Billfish Tournament (January)
• Annual Grenada Sailing Week (end January / beg February)
• Grenada Round the Island Easter Regatta (April)