Good food, good friends and more fun than you can imagine can all be found at these Barbados festivals. Whether you are ‘jumping’ in a costumed band for Crop Over, scoring a hole-in-one at the Barbados Jazz Excursion & Golf Weekend, or sampling the best of Bajan cuisine at the Barbados Food & Rum Festival, there is something for everyone at different times throughout the year.
“Barbados festivals make the island a preferred place for second homes and a year-round holiday destination,” says Maria Kublalsingh, Sales Manager with Island Villas. “Many of our clients buy properties on island because of the vibrant culture and the unique Barbados lifestyle. From January to December there are various sporting, music, culinary and arts events and activities. Festivals in Barbados are definitely worth the experience!”
While you may have missed Barbados Crop Over 2023, there is still time to make your way to Barbados for some fun in the sun. Here are some of Island Villas’ favourite festivals in Barbados and even more reasons why you should make the island your home away from home.
- Barbados Crop Over Festival
Summer is the time of year when the days get longer and the nights get better. This perfectly captures the vibe of the Barbados Crop Over Festival. Dating as far back as the 1780s, ‘Crop Over’ commemorated the end of the sugar cane harvest. After a stoppage in the 40s due to a move away from the dependence on sugar production, Crop Over was restarted in the 70s and has continued to grow in scale and popularity since then.
Every year, thousands of people visit the island to participate in the events of the Crop Over festival. Running through July and August, there are beach parties, craft fairs, food events and more. In the midst of all of the activity, summer is also a great time to relax on the beach in Barbados.
Schooner Bay 305 sits on Godings Bay Beach, a tranquil swimming spot perfect for lazy day sun-lounging. This 5 bedroom residence sprawls across three levels, with expansive pool and ocean views from each floor. As one of only thirty apartments in the Schooner Bay development, 305 is the perfect home to recuperate after any late night (or all day) Crop Over parties.
Take the private elevator to the partially covered rooftop dining area. Fancy a swim? Step into the calm waters of Godings Bay or soak up the sun poolside at the communal, free form, tiled swimming pool.
Inviting friends for the festivities? Schooner Bay 305 is elegantly furnished and fully equipped. An added bonus is the on-site gym, great for the ‘Kadooment Countdown’. Grand Kadooment Day marks the finale of the Crop Over Festival.
“Masquerade Bands make their way to the Mighty Grynner Highway with revelers dressed in sequin costumes decorated with colourful feathers, jewels and bright accents; dancing behind music trucks and moving bars.” (www.visitbarbados.org )
Sounds amazing? It is! Celebrities, including Bajan superstar Rihanna, can often be seen in costume ‘jumping’ on Kadooment Day. It is a guaranteed GREAT time and a truly unforgettable experience. Barbados Crop Over 2023 may have just ended but we have already started planning for 2024 – we can’t wait to see you ‘on de road’!
Book a viewing of Schooner Bay 305 and move in in time for Crop Over 2024.
- Barbados Jazz Excursion & Golf Weekend
Golf. Jazz. Barbados. A weekend getaway like no other. This October, get ready for the 8th annual Barbados Jazz Excursion & Golf Getaway, featuring an impressive lineup of contemporary jazz and R&B artistes.
From the beach to the bar, with a round of golf in between, this weekend getaway delivers fantastic entertainment from start to finish. Hosted by soul-jazz saxophonist Elan Trotman, the Barbados Jazz Excursion & Golf Getaway is a new highlight on Barbados’ annual event calendar. The charity golf tournament has attracted a number of celebrities and takes place at the prestigious Sandy Lane golf resort.
As a golf aficionado, you cannot go wrong buying a Barbados luxury property. The semi-detached, 3 bedroom Royal Villa 8 is located on the quiet Royal Villa avenue within the Royal Westmoreland Golf Resort. Surrounded by beautiful fairways and greens, Royal Westmoreland boasts a par 72, 7,045-yard course designed by acclaimed course designer, Robert Trent Jones Jnr.
This luxury villa for sale is positioned to enjoy beautiful lake views. High vaulted ceilings and an open plan living and dining area on the upper level create a light, airy, relaxed feel throughout the property. The first guest bedroom is located at the entry level and the Master bedroom and second guest suite are on the lower level.
A highlight of this property is the access to the large communal swimming pool, club house with pro-shop, tennis courts and complimentary beach chairs at the Mullins Bay Beach Club.
Bring your golf clubs and book a tour of Royal Villa 8.
- Barbados Food & Rum Festival
Who wouldn’t want to live in the birthplace of rum?
Barbados has long been recognised as the place where rum was born and the home of the oldest rum in the world, Mount Gay 1703. Add that to the eclectic local cuisine and you get a taste of the Barbados Food & Rum Festival. This foodie event is a celebration of local delicacies, culinary talent and, of course, the oldest distilled spirit in the world, rum. Over the course of four days in October everyone is invited to eat, drink and be merry. Events include pop-up events within the community, dinners, demos and the ultimate breakfast party.
Too much choice dilemma? Host a dinner party at home and sample some ‘good ole Bajan food’ – cuckoo and flying fish, macaroni pie, roast breadfruit and more. A home like the 5 bedroom villa, Bananaquit, is perfect for dinner with friends, sitting around the dining table on the first floor patio, enjoying views of the pool and gardens.
Bananaquit has been recently renovated and is located in a prime position in the exclusive Sugar Hill Estate. Three bedrooms are in the main house and the remaining two are in the detached cottage. This villa has been designed for entertaining, with an open plan kitchen, media room and living room all on the first floor and a second TV/games room in the basement.
Considering buying a home in Barbados? We invite you to come for the food and stay for the rum! Speak to an Island Villas agent about Bananaquit.
These festivals, as well as many other events throughout the year, are an integral part of what makes Barbados special. Want to learn more about Barbados festivals and other things you should check out on island? Let us know when you are coming for a property tour and we will be happy to share recommendations from the Island Villas concierge.
