BANK HOLIDAYS IN BARBADOS

January 1st - New Years Day
January 21st - Erroll Barrow Day

April 2nd - Good Friday
April 4th - Easter Sunday
April 5th - Easter Monday
April 28th - National Heroes Day

May 1st - Labour Day
May 23rd - Whit Sunday
May 24th - Whit Monday

August 1st - Emancipation Day
August 2nd - Kadooment Day
August 3rd - Emancipation Day Holiday

November 30th - Independence Day

December 25th - Christmas Day
December 26th - Boxing Day
December 27th - Christmas Holiday

EVENTS CALLENDER

DECEMBER TO MAY - POLO SEASON
Polo in Barbados dates back to as early as 1884, although the Polo Club was suspended from 1929 until 1939, when the Barbados Polo Club was resurrected at the Garrison Savannah. In 1965 polo moved to the club at Holders, St. James. Since then Barbados Polo has gone from strength to strength with the addition of three new fields and a very interesting future.
Polo Fields in Barbados
Holders, St. James
Lion Castle, St. Thomas
Waterhall, St. James
Clifton, St. Thomas

JANUARY - Jazz Festival
The country's flagship musical event. The venues include the Sunbury Plantation House and Farley Hill National Park.

FEBRUARY - HOLETOWN FESTIVAL
Holetown Festival:
In 1627, between February 17th and 20th, eighty (80) English Settlers landed at what is known as Holetown aboard a ship called the William and John. With them were ten (10) African Slaves, who had been captured on the voyage. It is from this day that Barbados became a British Colony.

The Holetown Festival commemorates this page in history and has become so popular that it now takes place over an eight day period, running from Sunday to Sunday. There is entertainment such as a variety of music including Gospel, Classical, Tuk Band and Calypso. There is also Folk Dancing, Arts and Craft Exhibition, a parade and a street fair where Vendors' Stalls offer a wide cross section of Barbadian Arts and Crafts, as well as local foods and beverages.

MARCH - SANDY LANE GOLD CUP HORSE RACING
Run since 1982, this prestigeous event is now sponsored by Sandy Lane Resort and the Barbados Turf Club. To get things off to a festive start, the race is preceded by a performance of the Royal Barbados Police Force Band, along with a parade of dancing majorettes and stilt walkers.

APRIL - HOLDERS FESTIVAL
Holders Season 2011
2nd April - 16th April

A unique experience at one of the world's most attractive 'boutique' festivals - eight exquisite and varied events in The Little Theatre, Holders. All of the variety associated with Wendy Kidd's renowned Season of performance in the grounds of Holders House - jazz, blues and classical music, theatre and comedy. If you haven't been before, give it a go. You will not regret it!

APRIL TO MAY - CRICKET WORLD CUP
The period lasting from the year 1998 to 2001 can be traced back as the time of origin of Twenty20 cricket. However, it was in the year 2001 that the idea of a shortened form of cricket. The concept is a 40-over game, with 20 overs per innings. Soon, the new form of cricket was given the name of Twenty20, more popularly T20. This was formally inintroduced to the world in 2003.

MAY - GOSPEL FEST
Barbados Gospelfest was established in 1993 by what was then known as the Barbados Tourist Board. The festival was the brainchild of the then Minister of Tourism Wes Hall, now Rev. Wes Hall, and the first event was a joint production between the Barbados Tourist Board and Mr. Alvin Jones of the USA.
From its inception top international Gospel artistes participated in the festival. These included, Dorothy Norwood, James Moore, Ben Tankard, Douglas Miller and then emerging artistes, Yolanda Adams and Kirk Franklin.
In 1995 the responsibility for the production of the festival was passed on to the Gospelfest Organising Committee made up of persons from the Christian community who had been involved in the planning for the first two years.

MAY - SOL RALLY BARBADOS
Now recognised as the biggest international motor sport event in the Caribbean, Sol Rally Barbados is already among the most high-profile annual events in the sports-tourist mix in Barbados.
From small beginnings in 1990 as one-day rally for 30 or so local competitors, the event has evolved into a major international celebration of the sport attracting more than 20,000 enthusiastic fans.
Sol Rally Barbados 2011 will run over the weekend of May 28-30.

MAY TO AUGUST - CROP OVER CARNIVAL
The Crop Over Festival traditionally celebrates the last sugar cane harvest and delivery of the last canes for the season. Over the years the festival has evolved into a series of activities involving both entertainment and heritage events.