Grenada's calendar is busier than its size suggests. Between the January sailing and fishing events and the December Parang Festival on Carriacou sits a year of national holidays, religious feasts, music festivals and the August carnival that dominates the summer. Many events are rooted in particular communities: Gouyave for Fisherman's Birthday, Carriacou for its Regatta and music festivals, St George's for carnival and Independence.
This month-by-month overview gives the typical timing of each event, so you can plan a trip around one, or avoid the crowds. Exact dates change from year to year and some events are reshaped, postponed or paused, so always confirm with the organisers or the Grenada Tourism Authority before booking. Public holidays are covered in more detail in a separate article on this site.
January to March: the sailing season and Independence
January. The year opens with New Year's Day celebrations and moves quickly to the water. The Spice Island Billfish Tournament, one of the longest-running sport fishing competitions in the region, is usually held in January in St George's. Grenada Sailing Week, typically in late January, brings racing yachts to Carriacou and the south coast of the mainland; the 2026 edition ran from 25 to 30 January. St George's University's January intake also arrives.
February. Independence Day on 7 February is the national holiday, with a month of celebrations, the parade at the National Stadium and national honours. On Carriacou, carnival is traditionally held before Lent, in February or early March depending on the date of Easter, with Shakespeare Mas as its best-known tradition.
March. A relatively quiet month for festivals and the peak of the dry season, making it popular for hiking and beach holidays. Easter can fall in late March some years.
Throughout the season. Cruise ships call regularly at St George's from autumn to spring, so mid-week crowds at Grand Anse and the town centre follow the cruise schedule rather than the event calendar.
April to June: Easter, Maroon music and chocolate
Easter (March or April). Good Friday and Easter Monday are public holidays. Good Friday is solemn, with church services and many businesses closed; Easter weekend is a popular time for family gatherings and beach days.
Late April, Carriacou Maroon and String Band Music Festival. A weekend of traditional music and food rooted in the island's Maroon thanksgiving tradition, with string bands, Big Drum and quadrille. The 2026 festival took place from 24 to 26 April.
May. Labour Day on 1 May is a public holiday. The Grenada Chocolate Festival, a week of cocoa estate visits, tastings and food events, has been held in May; the 2026 edition ran from 22 to 27 May.
Whitsun and Corpus Christi (May or June). Whit Monday and Corpus Christi are both public holidays, with Corpus Christi processions in Catholic parishes. Petite Martinique has a regatta tradition around Whitsuntide.
29 June, Fisherman's Birthday. Gouyave celebrates the Feast of St Peter with Mass, the blessing of the boats, races and a street party.
July and August: the carnival season
July is the build-up to Spicemas. Mas bands finalise costumes, calypso and soca dominate the airwaves, fetes multiply and Kiddies Carnival takes place before the main weekend. Hurricane season is under way from June, though storms in Grenada are infrequent; Beryl in July 2024 was an exceptional early-season event.
August is the busiest month of the year. Emancipation Day on 1 August marks the end of slavery in 1834 and is a public holiday, with the observed day sometimes moved to a Monday. The Carriacou Regatta Festival is traditionally held around the first weekend of August, with workboat racing in Hillsborough Bay and shore events. Spicemas reaches its climax on the second Monday and Tuesday of August, preceded by Soca Monarch, Panorama and Dimanche Gras. In 2026 those carnival days fell on 10 and 11 August. St George's University's August intake adds new students and families to the south-west at the same time. Book early for anything in August.
September to November: the quiet season and national days
After carnival, Grenada slows down. September and October are typically the wettest and most humid months and fall within hurricane season, and many hotels and some restaurants take the opportunity to close for maintenance or holidays. For visitors who do not mind the weather risk, it is the cheapest and least crowded time to visit.
October contains two significant national days. National Heroes' Day on 19 October, observed as a public holiday since 2023, commemorates the deaths of Prime Minister Maurice Bishop and others at Fort George in 1983 and honours the country's national heroes. Thanksgiving Day on 25 October marks the anniversary of the 1983 intervention by United States and Caribbean forces, and is also a public holiday. Both days are marked with official ceremonies and reflection rather than festivals. November is generally quiet, with the cruise season resuming and the build-up to Christmas beginning.
December: Parang and Christmas
December brings Grenada's Christmas season, a time of church services, family gatherings, house painting and cleaning, ham and black cake, sorrel and rum punch. On Carriacou, the Parang Festival, held since 1977 on the weekend before Christmas in Hillsborough, features string bands singing traditional and satirical songs; the 2025 edition was held from 19 to 21 December with Big Drum, quadrille, Shakespeare Mas and Hosanna singing on the programme.
On the mainland, parang and serenading traditions continue in some communities, and towns hold Christmas concerts and light displays. Christmas Day and Boxing Day are public holidays, and Old Year's Night on 31 December is celebrated with church watch-night services, parties and fireworks. This is also peak travel season: many Grenadians abroad come home, and flights and accommodation fill well in advance.
Regular events between the festivals
Not everything in Grenada happens once a year. Every Friday evening, Gouyave's fish night fills the town centre with seafood stalls and music, and it remains one of the most reliable ways to join locals for a night out. The Saturday market around Market Square in St George's is at its busiest in the morning, with produce, spices and street food. Sundays revolve around church and family, with beach limes at Grand Anse and Morne Rouge in the afternoon.
The Grenada Hash House Harriers have organised weekly runs and walks through villages, estates and forest for many years, and visitors are welcome; locations change each week and are announced through the club. Church harvest festivals, village sports days, cricket matches at community grounds and occasional concerts at the National Stadium add to the mix. Local radio and community noticeboards are the best way to hear about these smaller events, which rarely appear in tourism calendars but often give the most authentic picture of island life.
Using the calendar to plan a trip
Matching travel dates to events takes a little planning. These guidelines help:
- For carnival, plan for the second week of August and book flights and rooms months ahead.
- For sailing, late January (Sailing Week) and early August (Carriacou Regatta) are the key dates.
- For culture on Carriacou, choose late April (Maroon festival), early August (Regatta) or the weekend before Christmas (Parang).
- For food lovers, aim for the Chocolate Festival in May or Fisherman's Birthday on 29 June, and any Friday in Gouyave.
- For quiet and value, May, June, September and November have few major events and lower prices.
- Before booking, confirm dates with organisers or the Grenada Tourism Authority, since events can move or be paused.
Frequently asked questions
What is the biggest festival in Grenada?
Spicemas, Grenada's carnival, is the largest event of the year. Its climax falls on the second Monday and Tuesday of August, with J'ouvert, Monday Night Mas and the Parade of the Bands, after weeks of shows and fetes. It draws large numbers of Grenadians living abroad as well as visitors.
What events happen in Grenada in January?
January typically brings the Spice Island Billfish Tournament in St George's and Grenada Sailing Week in late January, which has included racing around Carriacou and the south coast. It is also the start of the dry season and the high tourist season, so accommodation is busier than average.
When is the best time to visit Carriacou for festivals?
Carriacou has three main festival periods: the Maroon and String Band Music Festival in late April, the Regatta Festival around the first weekend of August, and the Parang Festival on the weekend before Christmas. Its accommodation is limited, so book rooms and ferry tickets well in advance for any of them.
Are there festivals in Grenada in October?
October has national observances rather than festivals: National Heroes' Day on 19 October and Thanksgiving Day on 25 October, both public holidays commemorating the events of 1983. It is also one of the wettest months and falls in hurricane season, so it is quiet for tourism.
Where can the official Grenada events calendar be found?
The Grenada Tourism Authority publishes an events calendar, and individual organisers such as the Spicemas Corporation and the Carriacou Regatta committee announce their own dates. Local news outlets also report programmes as they are confirmed. Dates change annually, so check close to your travel dates.
