Barbados Crop Over Festival & Bridgetown Market
Once every year Barbados celebrates a festival known as Crop Over, it is the season used to commend the completion of the Sugar Cane Harvest, and is particularly one of a kind from the Jamboree merriments and carnivals in other Caribbean islands.
Many “old fashioned” components like the neighborhood social characters blend with present day additions to give this celebration a character not at all like some others in the Caribbean.
Craftsmanship and Music
Festivities are dynamically brilliant and loaded with music, as well as uncovers all parts of Barbadian culture, a blend of African survival legacy and Western current culture through presentations of craftsmanship and music.
Crop Over in Barbados spreads over a time of around 90 days from the period of May through to August. In spite of the fact that not the official beginning of the celebration, the prevalent Network Processions (privately brought Crop Over Calvacades), a social ability feature, were intended to make publicity for the celebration in every one of the neighbourhoods of Barbados.
The Crop Over Opening Celebration which is more often than not in July is the official beginning of the Barbados Crop Over Celebration Season and the finish of the Sugar Cane Crop harvesting Season.
The principle highlight of this social occasion is the ceremonial delivery of the last canes, and is utilized to crown the King and Queen of the Sugar Cane Industry.
It is likewise known for the Beautified Cart Parade which is a parade of brightly costumed people, and designed vehicles, for example, donkey carts, autos, trucks and bikes. This occasion additionally pays tribute to the numerous ethnic groupings existing in Barbados and the interesting highlights of Barbadian culture, through drinks, food, music, workmanship and craft.
Ceremonial Delivery of the Last Canes, Calypso music and calypso rivalries are an immense piece of the Crop Over Celebration. Calypsonians, humorists and neighborhood excitement can be found in real life in an assortment of Adult and Junior Calypso Tents scattered everywhere throughout the island. Each entertainer is judged on their social discourse or gathering tunes for the Pic-O-De-Crop and Gathering Ruler rivalries in Barbados.
The main rivalry which highlights social analysis is the Pic-O-De-Crop Semi-Finals. The finalists will then meet on the last Friday night before the finish of the celebration at the Pic-O-De-Crop Finals where the Calypso Ruler is delegated.
Children also play a part in the Crop over celebrations in Barbados. The Junior Kadooment sees the young revelers on the streets parading in costume as well as the Junior Calypso Monarch, a competition celebrating the younger talent our island has to offer and the voices of tomorrow’s calypsonians.
One of the most popular events of the season is the Party Monarch Finals and is not to be missed on the beautiful East Coast of Barbados. The most popular party songs from the tents and airwaves are judged in competition for the title of Party Monarch.
The last lap end of the week is the peak of the celebration and consistently is represented. Friday night sees the beginning of the finals of the Pic-O-De-Crop competition; here you will hear mainly social commentary. Eight finalists contend at a packed National Stadium for the title of Calypso Monarch.
During the day is very hot on the streets but everyone is enjoying themselves including the Kadooment Day Masqueraders, The Foreday Morning Jump Up in the early long periods of Saturday morning is a substantially cooler choice to the warmth of Kadooment Day. Mud and paint secured revelers party through the streets from Bridgetown to Spring Garden Highway.
On the off chance that despite everything you have energy left from that point onward, you will want to remain on for Bridgetown Market, the greatest street fair of the celebration highlighting local drinks, excitement, craft and in addition loads of beverages. This street fair happens in one weekend of fun, which guarantees a cut of Barbados you won’t have any desire to miss. It is a superb chance to get one of a kind, high quality trinkets, and work of art and and sample local delicacies.
Sunday night is the Barbados Cohobblopot, (a potpourri of cultural talent) a spectacular event of the Kings and Queens of the costumed bands, who parade before a panel of judges. This event is one of the biggest and most exciting of the season including performances by some of the hottest musical bands and calypsonians. (The word “Cohobblopot” was used by slaves on plantations to describe a stew with a variety of ingredients)
Monday is the Barbados Grand Kadooment Day, the culmination of the Crop Over Festival. Grand Kadooment is a spectacular daytime street carnival with a procession of thousands of Crop over costumed band revellers, partying from the National Stadium where they parade before a panel of judges. In Barbados Kadooment Bands or costume bands as they are called by locals, comprise of groups of masqueraders, in distinctive and elaborate costumes.
They then take to the streets where it becomes a huge all day street party / jump up to the Spring Garden Highway usually ending with a breathtaking fireworks display. This is also where the Tune-Of-The-Crop or Road March Song is judged.
Bridgetown Market
In Barbados, Bridgetown Market is the biggest street fair of the Crop Over Festival, usually held on the last weekend of the season. This is a favourite Bajan tradition where for three days the entire Spring Garden Highway is converted into a hype of activities, as the focus is mainly on this sub-festival of the Crop Over Festival.
As a major part of the Crop Over season, the Bridgetown Market street fair attracts many tourists and locals alike, which is why it outgrew it’s previous location at Harbour Road (Pelican Craft Centre area, formerly Pelican Village). It features all types of Bajan products including local Art & Craft, Fashion, as well as a variety of indigenous foods & drinks from very colourfully displayed stalls or kiosks.
You can especially enjoy a wide range of local entertainment and music such as; Folk groups, Tuk Bands, the Barbados Landship, Steel Bands, stick licking, stilt walking, dance groups, gospel groups, as well as calypso, reggae & our own spouge music.
At the Bridgetown Market street fair you are promised an entire weekend of fun & frolic as you sample the local delicacies and the popular bajan rum & beer.
Don’t forget in the midst of your enjoyment, to purchase some locally handmade souvenirs, so you can take home a piece of Barbados.
BRIDGETOWN MARKET WEEKEND SCHEDULE: (Kadooment Weekend / Crop Over Last Lap)
(Usually first weekend in August
- Foreday Morning Jump Up – (AKA Foreday Morning Jam, J’ouvert, Joovay)
This starts in the early hours of Saturday morning when it’s nice and cool. Mud & paint covered revellers party through the streets from Bridgetown to Spring Garden Highway.
(Activity on Spring Garden Highway for Foreday Morning Jam – Saturday from 2am until daybreak)
- Official Start of Bridgetown Market (1st Day): Saturday – 10am until 9pm
- 2nd Day: Sunday – 10am until 9pm
- 3rd Day: Monday – 10am until 9pm (Kadooment Day celebrations end here)
KADOOMENT WEEKEND: (Crop Over Last Lap Weekend)
Friday Night – Pic-O-De-Crop Finals
Saturday (Day) – Foreday Morning Jam / Bridgetown Market
Sunday (Day) – Bridgetown Market
Sunday Night – Cohobblopot
Monday (Day) – Grand Kadooment Celebrations / Bridgetown Market
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