Experiencing a Caribbean Carnival should at least be done once in your lifetime. Consider yourself lucky if you can experience it multiple times in different places.

Carnival is something you have to experience for yourself. From dancing to Soca and Calypso to dressing up in intricate and stunning costumes, Caribbean Carnival is an experience unlike anything in the world that is a fantastic blend of history, traditions, music, and dance.

Discover the top Carnival celebrations in the Caribbean and all the dates and locations you need to prepare for the 2025 Carnival season.

Trinidad And Tobago Carnival

Location: Port-of-Spain, Trinidad & Tobago
Date: March 3-4, 2025

Known as the birthplace of Caribbean Carnival, Trinidad and Tobago is the largest and most famous carnival in the Caribbean. People travel from all over the world to experience the soca beats, the ornamented costumes, and street parades.

Carnival begins with “J’ouvert,” the early morning celebration where people first cover themselves in mud, paint, and oil. Then, the streets are filled with colors as people dressed in their costumes with feathers, beads, and sequins take over the streets.

Nos Karnaval – Curaçao Carnival

Location: Willemstad
Date: February 28-March 5, 2025

Curaçao’s Carnival, known as Nos Karnaval, is one of the longest in the Caribbean. In a country that boasts some of the Caribbean’s most vibrant art, culture, and architecture, there’s no better place to participate in a Caribbean Carnival than in Curaçao. The celebration includes dancing to Salsa, Soca, and Calypso, parading in costumes, steel pan music, Caribbean food, and cultural immersion.

The entire season lasts six weeks, but the most decorated celebrations are the Gran Marcha and Marcha di Despedida. The first parade of the season is the Carnival Horse Parade, which takes place on horseback through downtown Willemstad. Gran Marcha is the procession of costumed dancers and performers that takes place on Sunday, March 2, commencing at 11 a.m. The farewell Carnival, Marcha di Despedida, happens on March 4, the eve of Ash Wednesday.

Bahamas Carnival

Location: Nassau
Date: June 5 – June 9, 2025

Not to be confused with the Bahamian Junkanoos, Carnival in the Bahamas is fairly new in the Caribbean and was created in 2015. It’s a celebration in Nassau that has become an increasingly popular spectacular. Inspired by other Carnivals in the region, Carnival in the Bahamas incorporates Bahamian flair, culture, music, art, dance, and Junkanoo traditions. Held in June, the event draws in thousands of people each year.

Aruba Carnival

Location: Oranjestad, Aruba
Date: March 1-2, 2025

Aruba has one of the longest-running carnival seasons, starting in January and ending in March. According to Visit Aruba, 2025’s celebration officially kicks off on Nov. 11 and ends on March 2.

The long celebration commences with the Torch parade and ends with the burning of Momo. With so many festivities to choose from, some of the most important events are the Children’s Parade in Noord, Jouvert Morning in San Nicolas, Aruba’s Grand Carnival, Parade San Nicholas, Aruba’s Gran Carnival, and Burning Momo.

Carnaval de Ponce, Puerto Rico

Location: Ponce, Puerto Rico
Date: February 21 – March 4, 2025

Puerto Rico’s Carnaval de Ponce is an annual week-long celebration. Similar to New Orleans’ Mardi Gras celebration, it’s filled with parades, decorated floats, costumes, music, and more. What’s great about Puerto Rico’s celebration is you don’t need a passport to experience the excitement.

Save The Date: 2025 Caribbean Carnival Dates To Know

Jamaica Carnival

Location: Kingston, Jamaica
Date: April 23-29, 2025
Official Website: here

Saint Maarten – St. Martin Carnival

Location: St. Maarten (St. Martin)
Date: April 16, 2025
Official Website: here

Carriacou Carnival, Grenada

Location: Carriacou
Date: February 3-4, 2025
Official Website: here

The Dominican Republic Carnival

Carnaval de San Pedro, Belize

Location: San Pedro, Belize
Date: February 23, 2025
Official Website: here

Guyana Mashramani

Location: Georgetown, Guyana
Date: February 23, 2025
Official Website: here

Martinique Carnival

Location: Saint-Pierre, Martinique
Date: February 26 – March 4
Official Website: here

Guadeloupe Carnival

Location: Islandwide on Guadeloupe
Date: March 2-5, 2025
Official Website: here

Mas Domnik, Dominica Carnival

Location: Islandwide on Dominica
Date: March 3-4, 2025
Official Website: here

St. Thomas Carnival, U.S. Virgin Islands

Location: St. Thomas
Date: April 27, 2025
Official Website: here

St. Vincent and the Grenadines Carnival

Location: St. Vincent and the Grenadines
Date: July 2- 9, 2025
Tourism Website: here

Saint Lucia Carnival

Location: Castries, St. Lucia
Date: July 17-23, 2025
Official Website: here

Nevis Culturama

Location: Saint Kitts and Nevis
Date: July 24 – August 5, 2025
Official Website: here

Antigua and Barbuda Carnival

Location: St. John, Antigua and Barbuda
Date: July 25 – August 5, 2025
Official Website: here

Bonaire Carnival (Karnaval)

Location: Saba
Date: Mid-February 2025 – March 4, 2025
Official Website: here

Barbados Crop Over

Location: Bridgetown, Barbados
Date: July 30 – August 5, 2025
Official Website: here

Emancipation Festival – British Virgin Islands

Location: Tortola
Date: August 4 – 6, 2025
Official website: here

Spicemas – Grenada

Location: Carriacou, Grenada
Date: August 1 – August 12, 2025
Official website: here