Calendar of Events 2013

The St. Lucian year is marked by a multitude of festive events, from Carnival and Calypso celebrations to world-class tennis tournaments and weekly street parties. For music lovers, the best bet of the year is the annual St. Lucia Jazz Festival, a four-day extravaganza, May 8th-11th, attracting some of the world's very best performers to the island.

J a n u a r y

• New Year's Day
• Asou Skwe
• Masquerade
• Toes/Papa Djab
• Cricket Season
• Calypso

Calypso tents are a major attraction during Calypso season. Each tent is comprised of a number of calypsonians who organize a series of shows leading up to the main calypso competition, to introduce the public to their songs for the current year. There is a high level of audience participation as a commentary on the people's acceptance or rejection of the talent. Opening of Cricket season marks increased inter-community activity.

F e b r u a r y

• Independence Day
• Anniversary
• Calypso
• Carnival
• Ash Wednesday
• Lent/Kawem
• Kite Flying

Independence for St. Lucia was achieved in 1979. The highlight of February is preparations for Carnival, a gala event with activities held throughout St. Lucia. Various camps are set up for the production of costumes for the many shows and street parades. Under the guidance of designers and band leaders, individual and group costumes are created for band members. Calypso tents are now in full swing and contenders for the "King" and "Queen" crowns are now rising. Short fun filled month.

M a r c h

Traditional Lent Period: Calmer tropical weather period supports many marine based activities.

A p r i l

• All Fools' Day
• Lent
• Holy Week
• Good Friday
• Easter Sunday

The days of Holy Week are the most solemn on the St. Lucian calendar. The dominant Catholic traditions are most evident at this time, particularly on Good Friday, a day of church services and restraint from pleasurable things. Highlights of the meal on this day is "Akwa" or fish cake, and pain d' espices (penepis), a thin oval biscuit. Easter Sunday resembles Christmas Day with its church services, gift-giving and fetes. End of lent season and season of abstinence celebrated with dates and banquets after forty day abstinence.

M a y

• Labour Day
• Mother's Day
• African Liberation Day
• Whitsuntide
• Aqua Action

J u n e

• Father's Day
• Fisherman's Feast/Fet Peche
• Corpus Christi
• St. Lucia Squash Open

The Fisherman's Feast begins with a church service, followed by the blessing of gaily decorated boats and boat sheds on the beaches. Feasting and merrymaking lasts the whole day into the early morning hours. St. Lucia Squash Open: World renown squash players get together with amateurs for a casual but very competitive event.

J u l y - S e p t e m b e r

A u g u s t

The market vendors celebrate their feast day with a religious service, followed by a festival of food, song, dance and general merriment in the island's various markets. The Castries market is usually the main centre of activities. The Rose Festival honours the rose with great pomp and ceremony, including a royal kingdom complete with king, queen, dignitaries and loyal subjects. There is a grand party at which no expense is spared to make the day successful.
The Market Vendor's Feast brings out vivid cultural expressions.

O c t o b e r

• Thanksgiving Day
• Jounen Kweyol
• Entennasyonal (International Creole Day)
• Bill Fish Tournament

On International Creole Day, St. Lucians join hands with Kweyol-speaking people around the world in solidarity and in celebration of their exciting common culture. Special activities include preparation of traditional foods, exhibitions of traditional items and folklore.
Jounen Kweyol celebrated in different communities where Kweyol speaking people congregate to enjoy traditional foods, folklore, and other traditional exhibitions.

N o v e m b e r

• All Saints Day
• All Souls Day
  (Fet Le Mo)
• Remembrance Day
• St. Cecilia's Day
• ARC - major yacht event
• International Food Fair

On All Souls Day, St. Lucians remember their departed loved by keeping a vigil lamp burning in their homes, beautifying cemeteries, repainting tombs and laying fresh flowers or wreaths on graves. Remembrance Day honours those who fought in the two World Wars with wreaths, ceremonial parades and parties. Poppies and stickers are sold to help aid families of ex-servicemen.
St. Cecilia's Day honours the patron saint of music and musicians with a church service, street music and sporting events for musicians. At ARC, the major yacht event, boaters can enjoy fine facilities available to yachters.

N o v e m b e r - D e c e m b e r

• National Day
• National Day Festivals
• Christmas Day
• Masquerade
• Legends Tournament

December in St. Lucia is a month-long festival, revolving around National Day celebrations and the Christmas season. The focus on National Day is building pride in the country with sporting, cultural, religious, social, and commercial activities, such as the Festival of Lights, featuring a lantern-making competition and the decoration of towns and villages with lights. Other events include the National festival of choirs, a festival of bands and a market festival akin to the market vendors feast day.

ST LUCIA HOTEL GUIDE