EVENTS

Jazz Festival

Usually held in the first two weeks of May, celebrations last for a minimum of ten days. There are a variety of shows at different places on the island. This is one of the biggest events of the year and the largest jazz festival in the Caribbean. In 2008 Angie Stone and Anita Baker performed.

Carnival

St Lucia carnival is the most extravagant event of the year, which runs throughout June and July. The main days of the carnival are July 16 and 17 when there are parades and music and a variety of costumes. There is also a beauty queen competition and steel band competition.

Independence Day

Celebrating the day when St Lucia achieved full independence from the United Kingdom, this national holiday hosts a number of events across the island, particularly in the capital, Castries. Held on 22nd February, celebrations include live music, calypso and games.

Nobel Laureate Week

Per capita, St Lucia has more Nobel laureates than any other country. Derek Walcott won the Literature prize in 1992, while Arthur Lewis won for Economics in 1979. The islanders are enormously proud of this achievement and a week is set aside every January to celebrate all things cultural.

Atlantic Rally for Cruisers

The Atlantic Rally for Cruisers (ARC) is an annual transatlantic sailing competition for racer and cruiser yachts since 1986. ARC starts at the end of November in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria and ends before Christmas in the Caribbean destination Rodney Bay in Saint Lucia.

The ARC is the largest Transocean sailing event in the world and regularly attracts over 200 boats of many different shapes and sizes. The route takes between 14 and 21 days aided by trade winds, and covers over 2700 nautical miles.