Bask in the Bajan welcome
THIS year is a truly special one for Barbados which 50 years ago, on November 30, won its independence from Britain. This year the whole island will celebrate with a fabulous line-up of fun-filled activities, festivals and sporting events.
Barbados’ rich diversity has created its uniquely wonderful atmosphere and its locals are looking forward to welcoming UK visitors for an unforgettable experience.
It’s also fantastic for families, especially in the summer. Barbados is rightly proud of its beautiful, child-friendly beaches fringed by shady palm trees, not to mention the warm waters perfect for paddling.
Year round, their world-class family friendly resorts with kids clubs and children’s activities provide a stress-free holiday for parents, and with all the celebrations planned for Barbados’ special anniversary, it promises to be a summer of fun for families of all ages.
There’s plenty to look forward to. Join us for our annual cultural celebration, the streets of Bridgetown will come alive with colour, calypso tunes and delicious street food during the Crop Over festival (June 4 to August 1) which this year promises to be bigger and better than ever.
Traditionally marking the end of the sugar cane season, highlights include the crowning of the King and Queen of the Festival and the Grand Kadooment carnival parade.
For sports fans there’s so much to watch and take part in. On June 19, the world-famous Kensington Oval will host the Tri-Nation tournament for a week of fast-paced cricket with the South African, Australian and West Indies teams.
If you’re keen to dive further into some sport, swimmers come from all over the world for the Open Water Festival in November, where guided swims take you around Carlisle Bay and the west coast of the island, or you can compete in 5k and 10k races.
In December, join in with Run Barbados, a fun packed weekend with everything from a 1 mile run to a marathon around Barbados, where you run to the sound of steel bands and finish with a sprint into the sea.
Barbados hosts the Rugby World 7s (December 10 and 11) where there’ll not only be a weekend of top class rugby but a fancy dress carol concert, Segway racing, a steel band festival and an after-tournament party. With so much on offer, there’s never been a better time to discover Barbados.