Trinidad & Tobago Festival & Events Calendar 2012–13
Trinidad and Tobago are festival islands where there is always something to celebrate. If you're an overseas visitor planning a vacation or holiday where you want to immerse yourself in the culture and lifestyle of Trinidad and Tobago, there are countless opportunities on the islands' diverse cultural calendar around which you can plan your trip. Here are some of the most distinctive festivals and holidays.
NB: Many dates are set just before the events are scheduled, and are always subject to change or cancellation. For more, see our Trinidad and Tobago Festivals sections.
2013 Calendar of Events
January
- 1 (public holiday): New Year's Day
- Carnival season begins
- Harvest Festivals (Tobago): Pembroke, Parlatuvier, Spring Garden, Plymouth and Mt Pleasant
- Sailing season begins
- Carnival Educative Arts Festival & Carnival Caravan (Tobago)
February
Carnival countdown begins- Harvest Festivals (Tobago): Hope, Adelphi, Buccoo, Franklyn and Bon Accord
- Carnival Educative Arts Festival (Tobago)
- Tobago Carnival Regatta (Tobago)
- 7: Calypso Monarch finals (Trinidad)
- 8: Big Friday (Kings & Queens Finals); Soca Monarch finals (Trinidad)
- 9: Panorama finals (Trinidad)
- 10: Dimanche Gras (Trinidad)
- 10: Chinese New Year (year of the snake)
- 11–12: Carnival Monday and Tuesday
- Carnival cool-downs
March
- Harvest Festivals (Tobago): Mt. St. George, Mason Hall, Roxborough, Bon Accord. Missionary Love Feast in Moriah on Palm Sunday
- The Biennial Trinidad & Tobago Music Festival
- Jazz Artists on the Greens (St. Augustine, Trinidad)
- Phagwa (Holi)
- Tobago International Game Fishing Tournament
- Trinidad & Tobago Golf Open
- Turtle nesting season begins
- 16: Jazz Artists on the Greens (St. Augustine, Trinidad)
- 24: Missionary Love Feast in Moriah (Tobago)
- 29–1 (with public holidays): long Easter weekend features hot cross buns, horse racing at the Santa Rosa track in Arima (Trinidad), and goat and crab races in Tobago’s Mt. Pleasant (Monday) and Buccoo (Tuesday)
- 30 (public holiday): Spiritual “Shouter” Baptist Liberation Day commemorates the end of the colonial ban on the “Shouter” Baptist faith, a fusion of African and Christian traditions, with performances and religious observances
April
- Harvest Festivals (Tobago): Goodwood
- Pan in the 21st Century
- Jazz Artists on the Greens (Pigeon Point, Tobago)
- 20–28: Tobago Jazz Experience
- Point Fortin Borough Day (Trinidad): full week of J’ouvert, mas, pan and parties
- 25–28: D Bocas Lit Fest – The Trinidad & Tobago Literary Festival
May
- Festival Chaguaramas (Trinidad)
- Beacon Cycling Series
- Harvest Festivals (Tobago): Whim, Delaford, Belle Garden and Mason Hall
- Jazzpoint (San Fernando, Trinidad)
- Maypole Festival (Tobago)
- Rainbow Cup International Triathlon (Tobago)
- Trinidad & Tobago Fashion Week
- 8: La Divina Pastora (Siparia, Trinidad)
- 4–13: Steelfest
- 12–13: Surfing T&T's International Surf Festival
- 30 (public holiday): Indian Arrival Day
June
- 3 (public holiday): Corpus Christi celebrated by Catholics in honour of the sacramental Eucharist
- 12–15: Trade & Investment Convention (Trinidad)
- 19 (public holiday): Labour Day, marked by trade union marches and gatherings in Fyzabad (Trinidad); Tobago Day at the Races (Santa Rosa Park, Trinidad)
- 24 June: Tobago Culinary Festival (Pigeon Point Heritage Park, T
- Red Earth Festival (Blanchisseuse, Trinidad)
- WeBeat Festival (St. James, Trinidad)
- Ganga Dhaara River Festival: honours the descent of India’s sacred River Ganges (Blanchisseuse, Trinidad)
- Harvest Festivals (Tobago): Lambeau, Bloody Bay and Roxborough
- Junior Tobago Heritage Festival
- St. Peter’s Day Fisherman’s Festival (Tobago)
July
12–1: Tobago Heritage Festival- 25–28: Great Fête Weekend (Tobago)
- Carnival band launch season (through September/October)
- Charlotteville Fisherman’s Fest (Tobago)
- Tobago Underwater Carnival
- Harvest Festivals (Tobago): Castara and Black Rock
- Jazz on the Hill (Trinidad)
- Prime Minister’s Charity Golf Classic (Tobago)
- Concerts featuring local and international stars
- South Caribbean Open Golf Tournament (Tobago)
- Steelpan Music Festival (Trinidad)
- Tobago Games
August
1 (public holiday): Emancipation Day- 8 (public holiday): Eid-ul-Fitr
- Arima Borough Day: J’ouvert, steelpan, calypso and parties marking the borough’s anniversary (Trinidad)
- Best Village competition begins, runs through November
- Carib Great Race
- Castara Fisherman’s Fête (Tobago)
- Harvest Festivals (Tobago): Speyside
- Muhtadi International Drumming Festival: started in Canada by Trinidad-born Muhtadi Thomas, and highlights different cultures around the call of the drums (Tobago)
- Osun River Festival: marked by Orisa devotees celebrating the goddess of love, fertility and inland waters
- Santa Rosa Festival (Arima, Trinidad)
- 31 (public holiday): Independence Day
September
- International Open Water Swim
- Derby Horse racing classic in Arima (Trinidad)
- Panyard Sensations
- Parang season: begins with competition at month’s end, runs through December (Trinidad)
- Tobago Fest: parties, street parade and J’ouvert
- Tobago International Gospel Festival
- 18–1: Trinidad & Tobago Film Festival
- San Fernando Jazz Festival (Trinidad)
- Beacon Cycling Series
- International Cycling Classic (Tobago)
- Turtle watching season ends
- 24 (public holiday): Republic Day
October
14: Amerindian Heritage Day, where descendants from around the region gather for a smoke ceremony and street procession in Arima (Trinidad)- Taste T&T International Culinary Festival
- Blue Food Festival (Tobago)
- Coast-2-Coast Adventure Race (Trinidad)
- European Film Festival (Trinidad)
- Harvest Festivals (Tobago): Patience Hill
- National Tourism Week
- Ramleela festival
- Steelpan & Jazz Festival (Trinidad)
November
- 3 (public holiday): Divali
- Best Village competition finals
- Harvest Festivals (Tobago): Plymouth, Black Rock, Les Coteaux, Moriah, Scarborough, Montgomery
- Pan is Beautiful
- Scarborough Cup Golf Tournament (Tobago)
- Tobago Christmas Caravan
December
- Assembly Day: Tobago House of Assembly celebrates and awards Tobagonians’ achievements, along with exhibitions and a sports and recreation day
- Paramin Parang Festival (Trinidad)
- Tobago Flying Colours: annual kite flying festival in Plymouth
- Hosay (Trinidad)
- 25 (public holiday): Christmas Day
- 26 (public holiday): Boxing Day, marked with horse racing and parties
All photos are from our Trinidad and Tobago Festivals photo galleries, which features detailed captioned and credit information
