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Barbados Crop Over Festival


Barbados Crop Over Festival

About Barbados: Culture: Crop Over
Crop Over Bands & Costumes | Junior Masquerade Bands | 2009 Calypso Tents | Crop Over 2009 Calendar | Bridgetown Market
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Barbados' Crop Over Festival

Official 2009 Crop Over Season | History | 2009 Kadooment Bands Packages | Foreday Morning Bands | Events Calendar | Other Festivals | Holiday Info

CROP OVER: A NATIONAL FESTIVAL OF CULTURE, MUSIC & REVELRY

Scenes of Crop Over he Crop Over Festival in Barbados which ends with the spectacular Barbados Kadooment, is the season used to celebrate the ending of the local Sugar Cane harvest, and is distinctly unique from the Carnival festivities in other Caribbean countries. Many "old time" elements like the local cultural characters mix with modern additions to give this festival a character unlike any other in the Caribbean. Celebrations are not only vibrantly colourful and full of music, but also reveals all aspects of Barbadian culture, a mixture of African survival heritage and Western modern culture through exhibitions of art, craft, music, and dance. Barbados' Crop Over Festival Activities and Events are many and varied with plenty of things to do for everyone's taste.

The Fun Barbados Crop Over Guide has compiled all the information on Crop Over Activities & Events, you will need to have the best Carnival in Barbados.

Crop Over in Barbados spreads over a period of approximately 12 weeks from the month of May through to August. Although not the official start of the festival, the popular Super Six Cavalcades (previously called "Community Crop Over Cavalcades", locally called calvacades), a cultural talent showcase, were designed to create hype for the festival in each of the parishes of Barbados. Date...

Like the cavalcades, the Heritage Fairs are a prelude to the official Crop Over Festival Season, but are used to educate and remind persons of Barbados' rich Heritage,  through fun-filled entertainment and activities, complimented by great music and delicious bajan delicacies in a nice atmosphere. Date...

Kadooment Band Fetes, Crop Over Fetes and After-work Limes during the Crop Over season, also play a significant role in creating hype for Kadooment in Barbados. These parties are many and are very popular with a variety of themes, sometimes lasting from dust 'til dawn.

The "Thanksgiving & Ceremonial Delivery of last Canes" followed by the "Crop Over Heritage Gala" (previously known as The Crop Over Opening Gala) which is usually in July is the official start of the Barbados Crop Over Festival Season and the end of the Sugar Cane Crop harvesting Season. The main feature of this cultural event is the Ceremonial Delivery of the Last Canes, and is used to crown the King and Queen of the Sugar Cane Crop Industry. It is also known for the Decorated Cart Parade which is a parade of colourfully costumed persons, and decorated vehicles such as donkey carts, cars, trucks and bicycles. This event also pays tribute to the many ethnic groupings existing in Barbados and the unique features of Barbadian culture, through food, music and art & craft. Date...

The Crop Over "Visual Arts Exhibition" plays an important part in the Photography and Arts & Craft community, by annually exhibiting the skills of talented bajans both young and old, as well as professionals and amateurs. The annual "Read In" and the workshops surrounding it have assisted the Literary Arts and helps to improve literacy in Barbados. Date...

Thanks to the NCF, the Steel Pan community in recent years has become more involved in the festival through Steel Pan competitions and Pan Concerts such as "Pan In De City", "Pan Pun De Sand" and "School Pan Rivalry", just to name some of them. Date...


Ceremonial Delivery of the Last Canes Calypso music and calypso competitions are a huge part of the Crop Over Festival. Calypsonians, comedians and local entertainment can be seen in action in a variety of adult and junior Calypso Tents scattered all over the island. The airwaves are filled with lots of quality calypso music from artists in every part of Barbados. Every performer is judged on their social commentary or party songs for the Pic-O-De-Crop and Party Monarch competitions in Barbados.

The first competition which features social commentary is the Pic-O-De-Crop Semi-Finals. The finalists will then meet on the last Friday night before the end of the festival at the Pic-O-De-Crop Finals where the Calypso Monarch is crowned. Date...

Children also play a part in the Crop over celebrations in Barbados. The Junior Kadooment sees the young revellers on the streets parading in costume to the National Stadium as well as the Junior Calypso Monarch, a competition celebrating the young talent our island has to offer and the voices of tomorrow's calypsonians.

Among the most popular events of the season are the Party Monarch Finals & Sweet Soca Competitions, which are not to be missed on the beautiful East Coast of Barbados. The most popular party songs from the tents and airwaves are judged in competition for the title of Party Monarch and Sweet Soca Monarch. Date...

The last lap weekend is the climax of the festival and every minute is accounted for. Friday night sees the start of the finals of the Pic-O-De-Crop Competition; here you will hear mainly social commentary. Eight finalists compete at a tension filled Kensington Stadium for the title of Calypso Monarch.


Kadooment Day Masqueraders The Foreday Morning Jump Up in the early hours of Saturday morning is a much cooler option to the heat of Kadooment Day. Mud & paint covered revellers party through the streets from Bridgetown to Spring Garden Highway.

If you still have energy left after that, you may want to stay on for Bridgetown Market, the biggest street fair of the festival featuring a Float Parade (cancelled for 2009), the Steel Pan Competition Finals, local food, entertainment and art and craft as well as lots of drinks. This is an entire weekend of fun & frolic, which promises a slice of Barbados you won't want to miss. It is a wonderful opportunity to pick up unique, handmade souvenirs, and art work and sample local delicacies.

Sunday night is the Barbados Cohobblopot, (a potpourri of cultural talent) a spectacular event of the Kings and Queens of the costumed bands, who parade before a panel of judges. This event is one of the biggest and most exciting of the season including performances by some of the hottest musical bands and calypsonians. (The word "Cohobblopot" was used by slaves on plantations to describe a stew with a variety of ingredients) Date...

Monday is the Barbados Grand Kadooment Day, the culmination of the Crop Over Festival. Grand Kadooment is a spectacular daytime street carnival with a procession of thousands of Crop over costumed band revellers, partying from the National Stadium where they parade before a panel of judges. In Barbados Kadooment Bands or costume bands as they are called by locals, comprise of groups of masqueraders, in distinctive and elaborate costumes. They then take to the streets where it becomes a huge all day street party / jump up to the Spring Garden Highway usually ending with a breathtaking fireworks display. This is also where the Tune-Of-The-Crop or Road March Song is judged.


Contact Info
The National Cultural Foundation (NCF)
Address: West Terrace, St. James.
Tel: (246) 424-0909

Be part of this Barbados Carnival!

Your Guide to fun-filled Crop Over Holidays & Vacations in Barbados

For more Information on Carnival Bands & Mas Camps in Barbados visit our Mas Bands page!

Crop Over in BarbadosIf you are taking a Holiday or Vacationing in Barbados during the Crop Over Festival we have all the services and information you need to make your visit unforgettable:

Crop Over celebrations (Summer Festival)
Duration period: (12) weeks / (5) weeks officially

May - June:
Cavalcades / Costume Band Launches & Parties / Calypso Tents open

July - August (1st week) Official Start:
Concert Shows / Exhibitions / Competitions / Street Fairs / Parades / Parties / Calypso Tents

For the Official Crop Over 2009 Season Click here!
Check out our Crop Over Calendar for more info...

Hope you enjoy your Crop Over in Barbados…

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