We have lots of annual visitors who visit Barbados religiously to take part in the Crop Over festivities. While the traditional Crop Over Festival will not be functioning in its former full glory, that doesn’t mean that it’s not a perfect time to rest and rejuvenate and take advantage of the season’s closing weekend July 30th to August 3rd. Before we share with you some of the top vacation villas to spend the long weekend at, here’s a brief overview with a 2021 update of Barbados’ Harvest festival, Crop Over.
Crop Over Festival Overview
The Crop Over Season is a 3-month festival celebrated every summer in Barbados and this national festival is rooted in sugar. This festival began over 3 centuries ago to signal the end of the yearly sugar cane harvest. It has since evolved into Barbados’ biggest national festival, similar to Carnival in Trinidad and Brasil with parties, dancing, and beautiful costumes. The climax of the festival is Kadooment Day celebrated with a national holiday when costume bands fill the streets with pulsating Barbadian rhythms and several international celebrities joining in the fun.
Even though the pandemic has shifted the festivities, the spirit of the season lives on. Recently, Barbados’ Prime Minister Mia Amor Mottley announced that even though the Kadooment Day festivities will not be occurring this year, promoters are allowed to host events limited to 150 persons throughout the Crop Over season; just in time for visitors to enjoy a plethora of Barbados music, food, and events. Take this time to also enjoy a Barbados golf holiday, a beachfront villa in Holetown, or check out our long-term rentals page for great rates.
PS: Think you may want to live in Barbados? Check out our sister company Terra Luxury to view some of the best Barbados beachfront villas for sale.
Barbados Vacation Villas for the Long Weekend
3 Bed | 3 Bath | Resort Pool
• Evenings can be well spent on the large verandah overlooking the resort pools and white sandy beaches
• Enjoy meals in the spacious living and dining area separated by the breakfast bar
• Access to resort gym and fun watersports
Onyx
5 Bed | 5.5 Bath | Swimming Pool
• Enjoy a sun-soaked beach holiday with direct beach access to a gorgeous white sand beach.
• Onsite amenities include a large media room, wet bar, and stunning swimming pool.
• Spacious bedrooms with amazing views are perfect for relaxation.
Kiko
9 Bed | 9.5 Bath | Ultimate Luxury
• Designed with family in mind, enjoy stunning oceanfront bedrooms overlooking a gorgeous, oversized swimming pool
• Luxuriously furnished with unique statement pieces, Italian marble floors, and palatial coral stone pillars
• Onsite amenities include a games room, fully equipped gym, cinema, spa, and sauna.
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Crop Over is Barbados’ most colourful and popular festival. With origins dating back to the 1790’s, it is considered a summer festival during which the richest and most creative and fun aspects of Barbadian culture are on full display. Besides the gorgeously bedazzled costumes, pulsating rhythms and bountiful eats, here are 3 things you should know about Crop Over.
1. It’s Steeped in Tradition
Crop Over is considered to be the oldest festival in the Western Hemisphere. One of the earliest documented instances of Crop Over celebrations was recorded in 1798 when it represented a celebration to mark the culmination of another successful sugar season. As the sugar industry declined, so did the Crop Over festival and in the 1940’s the festival ceased. However, its value was undeniable and in 1974 Crop Over was revived.
2. It’s not Carnival…
While colourful costumes are on display during Kadooment Day, it is important to know that despite apparent similarities between Crop Over and celebrations across the Caribbean and Latin America, Crop Over is not a carnival. You’ll be forgiven for making the faux pas once or twice but it is unacceptable to refer to Crop Over as a carnival – it is the Crop Over Festival. Similar celebrations namely in Brazil and Trinidad – are referred to as carnivals but do not share the same origin as Barbados’ festival, and only appear to be the same to the untrained eye.
3. The Party Never Stops
Crop Over culminates with the most stunning spectacle on Kadooment Day, the costumed parade however, the festival offers a myriad of events at varying times of the day and across all different types of geography. Make a trek at midnight to a quarry in St. George for fun in paint and powder or get dressed up for a fun evening at a gorgeous plantation house for an all-inclusive party complete with sushi, decadent desserts and lovely chef prepared meals. Opt to celebrate Crop Over on the water with a 4 a.m. catamaran breakfast party cruise or a nighttime sail and head down to the beautiful Farley Hill National Park or the beautiful beachfront at Brandon’s Beach for musical treats.
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If you’re really ready to book your Barbados getaway, we offer some amazing Barbados homes available for occupancy within the next few weeks. Check them out here!
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