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Festival & Events
Known as 'The Emerald Isle of the Caribbean' for its lush green landscape and strong Irish connections, Montserrat is the only country outside Ireland where St Patrick's Day is celebrated as a public holiday. The St Patrick's Week of Celebrations during March is a highlight of the island's event calendar, bringing together all the communities of the island through a series of festive activities that also attract international visitors. The Montserrat Christmas Festival in December is another key occasion, showcasing the creative talents of the Montserratians and blending together their diverse cultures. Visitors to Montserrat are invited to enjoy these events, along with a vast array of others held throughout the year.
15th Annual Fishing Tournaments
(31st October 2010)
The Montserrat Fisherman's Cooperative hosts an annual local on-shore fishing tournament at the end of January. During the Labour Day weekend (first Monday in May) a local open tournament is hosted and in September, an International Tournament is usually held. Organised by the Montserrat Fisherman's Cooperative this International Tournament will be open to boats from all over the world and will offer attractive prizes. More detailed information pertaining to rules, registration fees, prizes will soon be posted on this site. In the interim boats interested in participating and other interested parties should contact the Montserrat Tourist Board.
Volcano Half-Marathon & Fun Run
(November 27th 2010)
The Montserrat Tourist Board, in collaboration with the Montserrat Volcano Observatory and the Fittest Man Running Club, will be staging the first ever Montserrat Volcano Half-Marathon and Fun Run this December in support of three Montserrat charities. Click Here to download the Complete Race Details and Registration Information
The strenuous and unique event involves a route that passes some of the key tourism attractions on Montserrat, particularly the active Soufrière Hills Volcano and some of the areas the volcano has impacted. Points of interest along the route will include the Montserrat Cultural Centre, the entrance to Sir George Martin's AIR Studios and the Belham River Valley which is covered in volcanic rubble (weather permitting). The course will be a very hilly one with spectacular sea-views all along the way.
Festival (Our Carnival)
(TBC - Jan 1st)
Festival runs from mid-December until New Year's Day, and for many years this has been the climax of the year, when hundreds of Montserratians living overseas return to the island to reunite with families and friends and enjoy the festivities. Festival has many similarities with the carnivals held in other islands, and highlights the island's wealth of culture and talent. There are calypso competitions, the Festival Queen competition, beauty and talent shows, and the parade of costumed troupes on New Year's Day, as well as Masqueraders dancing in the streets. As night falls, excitement builds up at street 'jump ups' informal dancing in the street, with exuberant crowds following a truck playing loud music. In addition though, there are a host of other shows and events either with a live band or sound system, which often include choral singing (not to be missed), drama, and the schools performing arts festival. You will see string bands and steel bands also playing at some of the shows as part of the performance, as well as locally made arts, crafts and other goods on sale. Get hold of a Festival program if you are here in December, or ask your host to find one for you. Then you can take your pick of what to see and do. Police and Fire Community Week
(Oct 31st - Nov 7th )
Community Policing is very much part of the agenda for the Royal Montserrat Police Force, and every year the Police together with the Fire and Rescue Service put on a vibrant week of public relations and community activities. These include high visibility patrols, where senior officers take part in the 'beat' walk through the various communities; a lecture on a topical subject by a guest speaker; rescue demonstrations, calypso competition, variety show, and the popular lighted baton swinging display.
St Patrick's Week Celebrations
(March 13th - 20th, 2010)
St Patrick's Week is a weeklong celebration highlighting Montserrat's local culture and Irish heritage that culminates with St. Patrick's Day on March 17 : also a commemoration of the slave uprising on that very day in 1768. Events usually include a special service at the Catholic Church, a lecture, an exhibition, guided hikes in the forested mountains, the Freedom Run from Cudjoe Head to Salem Park, a St. Patricks Day dinner and a Junior Calypso Competition. During the weekend the St. Patrick's Week celebrations is at Festival Village. Here there's a simulated Slave Village with traditional local food on sale (the time-honored 'Slave Feast'), along with a revival of traditional games from yesteryear like hand-made spinning tops, story telling, and a kite flying festival. Local culture and music are in focus and you'll be sure to see the Masqueraders (masked street dancers in traditional costumes, tall head dresses and whips) perform, prancing to the lively sound of fife and drum: a blend of African and European elements forged out of slavery. String band music, a traditional combination of instruments includes the banjo, 'boompipe', guitar, mouth organ, triangle, 'shak shak' and bass drum are also on show, along with steel band (steel drum) performances.
For information for this years week of activities click on link below: http://www.visitmontserrat.com/index.php?categoryid=17&p2_articleid=102
Queen's Birthday Celebrations
Queen Elizabeth's official birthday is held during the first week in June, and the military parade is worth seeing. Parading at Salem Park you will see the Defense Force, Police Force, Fire and Rescue Service, Boy Scouts, Girl Guides and Brownies, Pathfinders, Red Cross and other uniformed groups. Sometimes there's a visiting military band and this adds to the pomp and pageantry as the Police and Defense Force march in formation and show off their skills, and the Governor is on hand for a formal inspection of the ranks.
Calabash Festival
(July 18th - 25th, 2010)
Visitors and residents of Montserrat witnessed the first Montserrat Calabash Festival in July 2006. The festival is named after the calabash since the fruit has long been identified as one of Montserrat's cultural items. The calabash tree, which sometimes grows to 30 feet, produces the fruit, has traditionally been used to produce an eating utensil, musical instruments and decorative items. This year's Festival will take place in July 2008 and a number of excitng events are planed. For further information e-mail Florence Joseph at flogriff@candw.ms.
Cudjoe Head Celebrations
(July 30th - August 1st 2010)
Montserrat showcases its African ancestry during Cudjoe Head celebrations that is held during the first weekend in August. The village of Cudjoe Head was named in the 18th Century after a slave by the name of Cudjoe who ran away from his master. He was caught and lynched at Cudjoe Head corner and his head was placed on a silk cotton tree to remind anyone considering running away what the punishment would be if they were caught. Festivities have grown to include a steel band performance, road race, and an exhibition of goods produced in the village. Additionally, the night before the festival, Cudjoe Head Eve, is now a time known for revelry and fun with a street festival that includes live music and vendors. This year, activities will include a five-mile bike race, a Run Cudjoe Run relay race, masquerades, string band and an exhibition that showcases the many talents of the community.
St. Peter's Parish Bazaar
The Annual St. Peter's Parish Bazaar is held on the 1st Monday in August, referred to as August Monday. This event has been held for more than 50 years and brings parishioners, families and friends from across the island and even from overseas, together. The Bazaar is held on the grounds of the Anglican Rectory in St. Peter's and usually begins from 2:00 p.m. until. Attractions include games, variety stalls, goat water, chicken (fried and barbeque) cold drinks, ice cream and for the children the Bouncy Castle.
Church Fêtes
These may sound tame, but if one of them is on during your visit and you want to get a feel for local life, give them a try. Fund raising church fetes or bazaars include eats, drinks, sale of gifts, local products and preserves, loud music and games. Sometimes afternoon tea or dinner is served. They continue into the night, which is when the largest crowds turn up. Village Days
Several villages hold special days of activities once a year on a particular day. These include Salem, Cudjoe Head, St Peters, St John's and the new villages of Davy Hill and Lookout. Activities may include exhibitions, talent shows, sporting events, games, sale of craft items and gifts, as well as eats, drinks and liming (hanging out) to loud music in the street. Again, the biggest crowds are after nightfall.
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