If you've been anywhere in the Caribbean, I'm sure you've heard of at least one carnival festival. Trinidad Carnival is definitely one of the biggest in the region, held on the Monday and Tuesday before Ash Wednesday. That's great, but this post isn't about Trinidad — the second most popular festival in the Caribbean is Crop Over in Barbados. Crop Over starts in June and ends on the first Monday of August with a beautiful parade called Grand Kadooment. Interested? Here's what you need to know.
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The full island in one day — from a Bajan who actually lives here.
Pick a Band
This isn't a music band — it's where you get your costume. Each "band" has a different theme with different coloured costumes depicting it. If you're fussy about your costume, pick yours out as early as April, when bands start launching their themes for the year. If you don't care too much, you can wait a bit later.
Costume packages range from super basic (beaded bikini top, bikini bottom and waistband) to a massive headpiece, wings, beaded bikini or monokini and feathered leg pieces. Some bands offer food for the day, but all of them offer free drinks. Some bands to check out: Baje International, Blue Box Cart, Aura, Xhosa and Zulu International.
Costume Tip
Get a super basic costume — by the end of the day it'll be sweaty and dishevelled anyway, or you'll lose your feathers. If you want feathers, grab a collar as an add-on to your basic package instead of a full elaborate piece.
Rocking basic costume packages with Blue Box Cart
Book Your Party Tickets
Whether you're here for two weeks before Crop Over or two months, you'll want to take part in a couple of parties beforehand. These give you a chance to hear the year's new music and see the performers. As the festival gets closer to Grand Kadooment — the final weekend — the parties get crazier with more happening.
All-inclusive parties mean everything is included, sometimes even champagne. Cooler parties mean you bring your own cooler — your own booze, ice, chasers and cups.
Party Tip
Pour all your alcohol into labelled plastic bottles before you go. The last thing you want is to accidentally mix your vodka with someone else's vodka.
Foreday Morning
Book this by early July, depending on which band you want to play with. Foreday Morning takes place on the Friday night into Saturday morning before Grand Kadooment. The whole point is to get dirty. Most bands give you a t-shirt; grab an old pair of shorts and you're set. This is the warm-up for Kadooment day.
Bands start around midnight and follow their route until roughly 7am. You follow a big truck with music blasting, and there's a drinks truck for all your booze needs. Paint and mud get thrown around all night — if you're clean, you're doing it wrong.
Foreday Morning Tip
Wear your hair in a bun or French braid — pigtails work too — to make it easier to get mud and paint out afterward. Rub baby oil on your body before you hit the road; it helps get the paint off the next morning.
If you aren't this dirty you're doing it wrong
Bridgetown Market
After Foreday Morning, the stalls along Spring Garden Highway get busy — this is Bridgetown Market, really just another excuse to lime (hang out). The stalls have a variety of food available, so you can eat and drink your way down Spring Garden.
Come down in the afternoon once you've recovered from Foreday Morning, and you can have a swim in the sea after you've eaten.
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Free Barbados Self-Drive Route Guide
The full island in one day — from a Bajan who actually lives here.
Grand Kadooment
The Sunday before is spent making sure you have all your essentials for the road:
- Costume, obviously
- Sneakers or boots
- Tights
- Makeup
- Face gems
- Money
Kadooment morning, the finale of Crop Over, means getting up early — we're usually up around 5am. Put your makeup on with the face gems to glam it up; everything about today is over the top, so embrace the dramatic eyeshadow. Meet your band at the designated location on time — if you're there early, the bar is usually open.
Once you've been through the stadium, the parade starts through the streets. Bands wind their way through Black Rock and down onto Spring Garden Highway. Today is when people let loose and enjoy the music, dance and drinks.
The earliest bands meet at the stadium for 7:30am, with the parade starting through the stadium around 8am. Other bands start later, so check the information that comes with your costume to confirm your start time.
Grand Kadooment Tip
Cut the toes off your stockings so you don't lose your toenails, and pace yourself with drinks while you're on the road. The sun dehydrates you quickly, which makes alcohol kick in faster than you'd expect — drink plenty of water throughout the day.
That's how you do Kadooment
Free Download
Free Barbados Self-Drive Route Guide
The full island in one day — from a Bajan who actually lives here.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Crop Over runs from June through to the first Monday of August, culminating in the Grand Kadooment parade — the biggest day of the festival.
