carnival guide

Any Carnival enthusiast knows that the twin island Republic of Trinidad and Tobago is the CENTRE of the Carnival universe. Over the years it has inspired Carnivals all over the world that have now become staples on the parade chaser’s calendar. 

 In Trinidad, masqueraders have the opportunity to be the main attraction! The major parade days are ‘Carnival Monday’ and ‘Carnival Tuesday’ which are always the two days preceding ‘Ash Wednesday’ (following the Catholic calendar). On these days masqueraders deck themselves out in extravagant costumes provided by their chosen ‘mas band’. When they ‘wine and jam’ down the specified parade route in these costumes they are ‘playing mas’.

Once upon a time, Ash Wednesday would have been the end of the festivities, however, in the last couple of years, the Carnival vibe has extended to ‘Cool Down Fetes’ which now continue until the weekend after.

What To Expect

During this time the entire country is in a state of happy helpfulness. People will be more than willing to give advice and directions (although their level of intoxication will dictate how seriously you should take them :P ).

Unless you are a seasoned veteran, understand that Trinidadians party like no other and you should not try to fit more than two fetes in a day on your first time. Visitors often end up sleeping through at least one of their planned events because they didn’t plan for recovery time. We at Come To The Islands do not want you to waste money like that! To ensure your stamina is Carnival ready, take a look at our Fitness Tips. Speaking of sleep, we’re warning you, it’s not going to be plentiful but let’s be real, you didn’t come here to sleep. Luckily, we have already taken care of all the hassle, so you just have to revel, rest and repeat!