The world becomes a warm hug when it comes together to celebrate each other’s cultures and, most importantly, respect them!🫡 One such way to express their acceptance is through vast, varied, and vigorous carnivals around the world. Every carnival has its unique perspective for celebrating, like cultures, people, days, or simply because they feel like having fun!🥰
But wait, wait, wait!🫷Maybe your problem is that you have no idea which carnivals to go to this year! Well, here’s a list curated delicately for you so you don’t miss out on any of them! These are some of the best carnivals around the world, and going to one will definitely make you happy and bouncy!
1) Notting Hill Carnival
Leaving all traditional carnivals behind, London hosts one of the best carnivals around the world, Notting Hill Carnival, every year since 1966!😱 The street turns happening with elaborate floats, more than 500 performers, and music that makes you groove at every beat. What can you experience in these three days? The list is too long, so try to keep up! Watch bands compete for the UK’s biggest steel pan competition, Children’s Parade, Traditional (the ICONIC) Parade, 36 sound systems🎛️ playing samba to hip-hop, extremely tempting food stalls serving all you can think of, and performances leaving you in “awe”! Almost three million people attend; be one of the crowd!
🗓️ August 24th to 26th, 2024
📍 Notting Hill, United Kingdom
2) Leeds West Indian Carnival
Looks? Amazing✅ Sounds? Extraordinary ✅ Delicacies? All checked✅! It’s the Leeds West Indian Carnival, which checks all the marks of being a fantastic carnival in the city. Yorkshire’s brightest day is full of amazing costumes, enticing tropical beats, delectable cuisine, Caribbean culture, and entertainment for all ages combined into one flawless package. Want to know the best way to experience it?😍 Take Part in it! If not, the second way is to take it all in. Either way, just simply be the one who misses such a vibrant day!
🗓️ August 26th, 2024
📍 Potternewton Park, Leeds, United Kingdom
3) Atlanta Caribbean Carnival
Proudly being the first kickoff of the U.S. carnival season in 1988, Atlanta Caribbean Carnival celebrates its 37th Annual celebration in 2024! Communities, artists, and fans from the Caribbean diaspora and beyond come together, showcasing the tenacity and resiliency of Caribbean societies.🫶 After a lot of sweating and preparation, Atlanta Caribbean Carnival Bandleaders Association (ACCBA) has curated the best events highlighting the brilliant costumes, intriguing cultural features, lively rhythms,🎸 and artistry representing Caribbean heritage. Let yourself merge into the traditions and be a part of it wholeheartedly!
🗓️ May 25th, 2024
📍 Westside Park, Atlanta, United States
4) CayMas Carnival
The Cayman Islands are never tired of extravagant carnivals! Part two of the Caribbean Carnival is the CayMas Carnival of the season. Apart from attracting thousands of people to embrace celebrations, it is also an excellent way to discover the beauty and charm of the Cayman Islands!🏝️ This carnival is organized by CayMAS, a movement made of entities with a bit of extra influence in Cayman Islands Carnivals!f🎡 Their passion for carnivals drives them towards some amazing carnivals with family and friends, feasting, Caribbean music, dance, rum, and fetes.
🗓️ June 29th, 2024
📍 Cayman Islands, Yacht Club, George Town
5) Caribana Toronto
Yet again, Toronto tops the list as an awesome city with events and carnivals throughout the year. Not surprisingly, it has arranged North America’s biggest Toronto Caribbean Carnival since 1967! 🤷Caribana Toronto draws millions from the world, from locals and regionals to international and media, as this three-week festival is truly the highlight of the month! Enjoy masqueraders,🎭 colorful costumes, and extraordinary performances as they fly their way from the assembly area at Exhibition Place!
🗓️ August 1st to 5th, 2024
📍 Downtown Toronto, Toronto, Canada
6) Vincy Mas
Tucked away in the group of islands of The Grenadines, Saint Vincent celebrates Vincy Mas (St. Vincent Mas) to honor their roots, rich culture, and heritage.✨ Once upon a time, this exceptional carnival used to be restricted to private parties, but as the eighteenth century unfolded, it evolved, and African customs were also blended into it!🫂 The only thing allowed to do these days is to let go and have the best times of the year with Soca and calypso competitions, Miss Saint Vincent Competition, Carnival King and Queen Competition👑, Junior Pan Fest, and many more activities! It’s like a taste of freedom and independence in the air😻.
🗓️ June 28th to July 9th, 2024
📍 Kingstown, St. Vincent, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
7) Hollywood Carnival
Isn’t hearing “Hollywood” just grabbing your attention? Well, if it’s not, you are going to miss out on the epic carnival around the world. Hollywood Carnival, an organization in LA, loves to unite cultures with entertainment and fun activities.🤹♂ It celebrates ten years of carnival in 2024, and a grand celebration is on the way with seven events🗓️ for you! Say bye-bye to regrets and welcome the best carnival with open arms in June!
🗓️ June 20th to 23rd, 2024
📍Various Locations, Hollywood/Los Angeles Area, United States
8) Karneval der Kulturen
The capital city of Germany draws attention every year with Karneval der Kulturen, one of the largest in Germany. This four-day carnival is in the heart and soul of the city and has been a symbol of diversity in Berlin since 1996. Like any such carnival, it carries all glamour and allure with daring costumes and impeccable choreographies,💃 but more importantly, it portrays Berlin’s cultural diversity👥 and citizens’ concerns! It’s Berlin’s way of backing diversity, commitment, art, and culture in the country!
🗓️ May 17th to 20th, 2024
📍 Berlin, Germany
9) New York Carnival
Every Labor Day, the West Indian American Day Carnival in New York City is a dazzling spectacle of color and music.🎡 Just imagine the colorful rhythms of soca and calypso filling the streets as masqueraders in ornate, feather-adorned costumes sashay past, their garb sparkling in the city lights;✨ that’s what you can find at the New York Carnival. The air is heavy with the aroma of amazing food🍲 and sweet rum, blended with the sound of celebration and heaps of laughter. Carnival celebrates the heritage of the Caribbean islands and the unity of its community, which can surely dazzle and delight you.
🗓️ August 29th to September 3rd, 2024
📍 Brooklyn, New York City, United States
10) Saint Lucia Carnival
Saint Lucia becomes a perfect party island, vibrating with the enticing sounds of steelpan, soca, calypso, and Dennery music🎶 when Saint Lucia Carnival takes over the streets. The finest local, regional, and international performers🎭 will be present throughout this all-day, all-night celebration. Enter a world of culture where the brilliant colors of our carnival costumes blend with the sharp-witted ole mas jesters. A swirl of “pure culture, pure vocal, and pure vibes” is what Saint Lucia Carnival promises, whether you’re here for the beat, the flair, or just the electric environment. It’s carnival time, come experience it!🥳
🗓️ July 01st to 17th, 2024
📍 St Lucia, Caribbean, Harry Edwards Jewelers, Saint Lucia
11) 46th Annual Provincetown Carnival
Iconic and old, yes, Ptown will be having its 46th Annual Provincetown Carnival, a summer celebration of unity, expression, creativity, and community!😌 The ritual is stronger than ever, attracting tens of thousands worldwide to indulge in fun parties, themed events, the slaying costumes contest, and the highlight Carnival Parade down Commercial Street! The weeklong celebration started in 1978 and has continued till now! Confused about what to dress up as?🤔 Let me give you a hint. The theme is Renaissance X Revolution!🪧 I bet that narrows down the fierce fits you own!
🗓️ August 17th to 24th, 2024
📍 Provincetown, Massachusetts, United States
12) Orlando Carnival Downtown
Caribbean culture, music, and heritage! Orlando Carnival Downtown is back with a bang that’s louder and stronger than ever.💪 Pageants, parties, art dealers, and cuisine from Barbados, Trinidad & Tobago, Jamaica, and other Caribbean countries will all be featured. Top artists light up the stage🎤 with rhythmic rapture every year, and this year will be so much more lit! Enjoy Orlando Carnival, Soca Anthropology, Jouvert, and Carnival on the Runway. 🎉
🗓️ May 24th to 26th, 2024
📍 Camping World Stadium, Orlando, United States
13) Spicemas | Grenada Carnival
Traditionally known as Grenada Carnival, it is infamously addressed as Spicemas, which is definitely one of the year’s fastest-paced and anticipated events!🤩 Why Spicemas, you ask? It is in tribute to the island’s spice, which is loved by people who arrange such enormous carnivals.🎊 Don’t be shocked by the vast festival with the Jab Jab, ornate costumes, entrancing beats, parades, authentic Caribbean spirit, and more. There are many events like J’ouvert that happen annually, but I will choose to keep you surprised!
🗓️ August 7th to 14th, 2024
📍Saint George’s, St George’s, Grenada
14) AC Carnival
Taking cultural security and inclusiveness to another level, an organization is formed so Caribbean people can gather, celebrate, and share their culture. The Atlantic City Carnival helps them to be themselves and preserve their culture. Bring out the clothes with flag colors🏳️ at the Flag it Up Party, watch the Street Parade in Pleasantville, and The AC beckons you for the White Party! Prominent Soca performers from Trinidad and Tobago, among others, serve as the event’s host and performers.💃 Not just preserve the culture but be a part of it and have an amazing time at the carnival!
🗓️ July 19th to 21st, 2024
📍 Continental at Caesar’s Pier, Atlantic City, United States
15) Carnival San Francisco
The two days at the City by the Bay are sprinkled with magic.🪄 Seeing so many cultures come together and share creative expressions in one spirit is beautiful. Carnival San Francisco celebrates its fourth decade with the best Latin American and Caribbean cultural arts and traditions. Apart from being the largest multicultural celebration on the West Coast,😧 it is exceptionally welcoming towards every culture. This year’s theme (so wholesome) is “Honor Indigenous Root.”
🗓️ May 25th and 26th, 2024
📍Harrison Street between 16th & 24th Streets, San Francisco, United States
Your time to Dive in the Culture of Carnivals!
Obviously, the upcoming months are heavy with fun, culture, and (drum rolls!!!) CARNIVALS! These moments are the ones that everyone awaits for the whole year! Now it is time to plan your days and go all Caribbean at these carnivals!
If you are looking for more such carnivals to spend your holidays enjoying the culture, check out the link below!
