Holetown Festival

Holetown, located on the west coast north of Bridgetown, was the first settlement on the island of Barbados. It was initially named Jamestown by the first English settlers who landed in the small channel in 1625 when King James I was on the throne in England. Today the town is famous for its colourful annual festival of crafts, music and historical parades held in commemoration of these first settlers. The festival takes place mid-February every year and runs over a one-week period. Events at the Holetown Festival include historical lectures, fashion shows, beauty contests, street parades, tattoo shows, exhibitions, concerts, theatrical presentations, sporting events and an antique car parade.
 

Barbados Jazz Festival

The major music event on the Barbados calendar is the Jazz Festival, held each year in January. The festival celebrates the best in international and local jazz talent and is held across a variety of venues throughout the island, from the modern Sir Garfield Sobers Sports complex and the historic Sunbury Plantation House to the open-air venue of Farley Hill National Park.