Carnival Monday is a holiday that’s observed in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines in late June and early July every year. It’s a holiday that can be traced back to the masquerade balls thrown by French slave owners on their plantations during the 18th century. It’s a holiday that’s observed with much enthusiasm and with plenty of Calypso music, colorful parades, and folk orchestras.
Many of the huge events are thrown in Kingstown, which attracts a lot of tourists, but there are also smaller parades and events located all over the main island. This is one of the biggest carnivals in the Caribbean and as such, people from around the world show up to celebrate it.
The History Of Carnival Monday In Saint Vincent & The Grenadines
This holiday can actually be traced back to the 17th and 18th centuries when French immigrants threw elaborate masquerade balls on their plantations. When slaves were freed during the 19th century, they took some of the traditions and mixed them with African traditions to create an event that was quite unique.
The carnival was originally celebrated right before the beginning of Lent, but that changed in 1977. This is when the carnival was moved to June/July/August to separate it from the Lent carnival in Trinidad and Tobago. This allowed the holiday to gain more popularity and has allowed it to grow to the massive street party that it’s become today.
Observing Carnival Monday In Saint Vincent & The Grenadines
The main holiday for this event is held in Kingstown, the capital of St. Vincent, and the Grenadines. At that main event, people can listen to Calypso music, see beautiful colorful parades, and enjoy metal drumming and dancing contests.
There is also a Miss SVG contest that is the local beauty competition and is held on the Vincy Mas Carnival Grounds. The winner of this event gets a 4-year college scholarship and an opportunity to represent the country’s carnival and its tourism industry.
When is Carnival Monday in Saint Vincent And The Grenadines? |
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| This year (2023) | July 3 (Monday) |
| Next year (2024) | July 1 (Monday) |
| Last year (2022) | July 4 (Monday) |