Five great reasons to visit Montserrat are to experience our four festivals and an active volcano. Montserrat has a festival for every season which gives visitors four different ways to enjoy a getaway to the Emerald Isle of the Caribbean.

In December, we host our annual carnival which runs over a period of two weeks, ending on New Year’s Day with our colorful and grand parade. This December festival is a favorite of Montserratian nationals who want to spend the Christmas season in a warmer climate and want to be with loved ones. It is packed with traditions like Carol singing, our energetic and colorful masquerades, and lots and lots of calypso.

By the time we have recovered from carnival, it is time to fine tune plans for our largest festival centered around St. Patrick’s Day. Montserrat is one of a few nations outside of Ireland where March 17 is a national holiday. This is the case for several reasons. It is a memorial to an uprising that took place in 1768 on that date, a tribute to the Irish connection and the village and people of St. Patrick’s where the festival originated.

The St. Patrick’s Festival attracts a much younger crowd of nationals who enjoy the fast pace and endless nights and days of revelry with deejays and live international concerts. The highlight is always the Slave Feast, held on St. Patrick’s Day which is a community event where everyone comes out to enjoy traditional foods such as ducana and saltfish, coconut dumplings, sugar cakes and so much more. There’s always steel pan music and a street parade where everyone is invited to dress up and jump in.

The Calabash Festival was developed by members from the hospitality community who wanted an event to draw visitors during the summer months. Held in mid-July each year, the festival takes place over one week, and includes a national lecture, fashion show, arts and craft exhibits and a food fair.

The Alliouagana Literary Festival is held every November and each year attracts award-winning authors as well as newcomers to our shores. The three-day literary festival is preceded by the Alphonsus “Arrow” Cassell Memorial Lecture which takes an in-depth look at some aspects of art and culture and how it can be preserved and enhanced for future generations. Local authors are invited to launch new works during the festival, children have their own special events to entertain them, and there is always entertainment for the entire family to enjoy.

While each of our four festivals must end, what will still be here is the Soufriere Hills Volcano. Roaring to life in 1995, she has admittedly caused much devastation but now offers scientists and visitors a close look at how the world works beneath the surface. Your visit to Montserrat would be incomplete without a tour of our state-of-the-art Montserrat Volcano Observatory.