Good Time to Visit

Weather

Barbados enjoys a tropical climate, with an average annual temperature of 27°C and an average of 8 to 10 sunshine hours per day. The dry season is from December to June; during the so-called wet season (July to November), some brief rain showers are likely, and tropical storms and hurricanes may also occur.

More information on Barbadian weather may be found in Climate in Barbados.

Festivals

The island's top event is the Crop-Over Festival, which originated in colonial times as a celebration of the sugar cane harvest. Festivities stretch over a three-week period beginning in mid-July. There are spirited calypso competitions and fairs around the island. The festival culminates with a Carnival-like costume parade on Kadooment Day.

Every January, Barbados hosts the Barbados Jazz Festival. In February, the Holetown Festival celebrates the 1627 arrival of the first English settlers on Barbados. The week-long festivities include street fairs, a music festival at the historic parish church and a road race. There are also a handful of international sporting events, including the Barbados Windsurfing World Cup, held at Silver Sands in January, and the Caribbean Surfing Championship, held in early November at Bathsheba.

Public Holidays

The following table shows the public holidays celebrated in Barbados: