Every year, crowds come from neighboring towns, islands and countries to celebrate what makes our island—the Nature Island—special. Because, beyond nature, Dominica is chalk full of cultural essence and a history in which its people take great pride. From celebrations of independence to a weekend full of jazz, these are the six most spectacular events to inspire, and work into, your Dominica vacation.

Carnival

Taking place annually between late February and early March, Carnival is one of the most vibrant times to visit Dominica. In addition to the calypso and steel pan music that you can experience all around the Caribbean, we still celebrate our island’s traditional music and dances with masquerade songs called Chanté mas and Lapo kabrit, which is our own form of Carnival music, performed by masquerading partygoers in a two-day parade.

Dive Fest

Dominica is renowned for some of the best diving in the world, and our annual Dive Fest in early July is the oldest diving festival in the region. Inclusive of whale watching trips, diving packages, snorkeling picnics, canoe racing, and marine educational tours, this is a great time to visit Dominica and experience the best of its marine life and adventures by sea.

Dominica Festival of Arts

The Dominica Festival of Arts is a long running festival that stretches from April to June and showcases our rich cultural heritage, with theatre and dance, along with theatrical performances, concerts, and artistic workshops geared at developing local artistic expressions.

Hike Fest

Dominica is home to the Waitukubuli Trail, the longest walking trail in the Caribbean, and many other hikes in a range of difficulty levels. In May each year, locals and international visitors alike take to the trails – some with the goal of walking the entire Waitukubuli Trail and others simply to enjoy our rainforests, waterfalls, bird life and beautiful views.

Jazz ‘n Creole

Held in the unique atmosphere of Cabrits National Park, Jazz ‘n Creole is a celebration of music by both local and international artists. In addition to the main events in the park, there are always lots of fringe events, some of which take place here at Fort Young Hotel each year.

World Creole Music Festival

For many, this is Dominica’s highlight of the year. Taking place at the end of October, the World Creole Music Festival is the largest event in the world dedicated to all forms of creole music, from zouk to zydeco, and reggae to calypso, it attracts thousands of people each year, and the stars that turn out to wow the crowds are some of the biggest names in Creole music.

The Fort Young is involved in all these events, and each year we run promotions to help you celebrate each festival in style. Check our promotions page for more information.