Carnival in Turks and Caicos Islands

Carnival Dates

• Upcoming Carnival Dates - To Be Announced.

About Carnival in Turks and Caicos Islands

Junkanoo is believed to have begun during the 16th and 17th century. The slaves were given a special holiday at Christmas time in which they could be with their families to celebrate the holidays with African dance, music and costumes. This continued after emancipation and today Junkanoo has moved from a simple festival to a formal organized festival with sophisticated costumes, music and different themes every year. This festival has reached such a great height that they are people are comparing it to Carnival in the Carnival world's capital, Rio de Janeiro and New Orleans in Louisiana.

Junkanoo is the greatest celebration that takes place in the Turks and Caicos Islands with street parades of masqueraders wearing colourful costumes, goatskin drums, jangling cowbells and other rhythm instruments. This festival starts in the early hours of Boxing Day, December 26th, and in the early hours of January 1st when revelers are coming back from the New Year's Eve parties.