Cultural Festivals

Carnival: The annual carnival is quickly becoming world-renowned. Usually taking place in January or February, the celebrations go on for weeks, leading up to the Grand Parade. Different groups come together to plan their bright and unique costumes, spending weeks and long nights getting the costumes and their dance moves ready for the big day. Each carnival group displays their own local heritage, and each year the carnival features a selected song. This is a festivity not to be missed on this colorful and joyous island.

Seú Festival: Harvest festival takes place in the month of March and is celebrated by a parade of a large number of locals dressed in traditional folk costumes walking and dancing through the streets of Otrobanda, symbolizing the "Feast of the Harvest."

Tambu: The tambu is a drumlike object, but the term also refers to a traditional African type of dance. The dancers never come into contact with each other but move their bodies to the beat while keeping their feet in the same place. This was an ancient slave dance that was banned by the slave owners and later by the Catholic Church. This can now be seen at Carnival time when the islanders perform the music and the dance.

Curaçao Jazz Festival: The Jazz Festival began 18 years ago and has come to be a renowned event each May. The festival, which has attracted big names such as Al Jarreau and George Benson, is a party for both the participants and the audience.

Curaçao Salsa Tour: This takes place for one week in August, when fabulously sensual salsa dancing, workshops, demonstrations, and competitions take place. The best salsa musicians of the world blow you away with their talent matched only by the inspiring performances of the salsa dancers.

New Year's Eve: The islanders celebrate New Year's Eve by setting off pagaras, long roles of firecrackers from midday onwards. The noise can be deafening as all of the bad spirits are traditionally driven from the island with the fireworks. The celebrations go on well beyond midnight. A midnight blessing is given to those who attend church service at Plaza Brion.

Get dates for the most popular Curacao events.