Dominica's Carnival, also known as "The Real Mas," is one of the most famous festivals in Dominica, takes place over two days in February or March and is filled with several exuberant festivities. Initially introduced to the island by European colonizers in the 18th century, it quickly evolved into a very distinctive celebration, incorporating Western African slave culture into the costumes and traditions.

The carnival is held the last two days before Ash Wednesday. The main party is frequently held on Tuesday. The festivals are celebrated in Roseau's old town, Dominica's capital. The event is completely welcome to attend, but you should set aside some pocket money for food and drinks. After all, you want to properly join the party.

Dominica’s Carnival is essentially one big party in which everyone exuberantly celebrates. Beer and Rum flow freely and people are dancing in the street while Calypso Music is blasting from huge loudspeakers. On Tuesday, there is a huge parade through the streets of central Roseau, where the most elaborate costumes can be seen.

There are several categories of costumes with roots in Western African culture, attesting to the influence of slaves in the development of local Carnival traditions. Sensay's costume resembles a ferocious demon with a horned head. An especially impressive thing is the Bwa-Bwa-Dancers, who are gracefully moving around on high stilts. Altogether, you may find it exciting to mingle with the crowds and take part in the celebrations. Therefore, we recommend you time your visit to Dominica for the festivities and get a unique glimpse into the local culture.

Time: February or March.

Place: Dominica.

The Dominica Festival of Arts (DOMFESTA) was introduced by the Cultural Division in 1983. It was felt at the time that not much was happening artistically and culturally from June to August in Dominica when school children were on vacation. It was also thought that the time of year close to and around August 1 should be emphasized, as slaves had been emancipated on August 1, 1834, and again on August 1, 1838.

The DOMFESTA is a festivities of Dominica’s culture and heritage. Artists from the music industry and painters receive a great deal of attention paid to their works during DOMFESTA time. It was also felt that DOMFESTA should be a more open festival, catering to all types of creative arts disciplines, as opposed to Carnival or Independence, which are more traditional festivals. As a result, during DOMFESTA, one can expect a diverse program of dance, music, art, and drama, which would include folk and creative artistic expressions as well as other styles like jazz and classical music.

Time: from April to June.

Place: Dominica.

The Dominica Watersports Association organizes Dive Fest every year to educate the public about scuba diving (as a tourism product and a career path) and to raise awareness about Dominica's breathtaking marine environment. Whale watching packages, special dive packages, underwater treasure hunts, snorkeling picnics, traditional canoe racing, and marine educational tours are some of the popular activities.

Dominica's Dive Fest is the Caribbean's longest-running diving festival. The event has been held annually since 1994, apart from 2017 (Hurricane Maria) and 2020 (Corona Virus). Athletic activities such as Swimming Races, Kayaking Races, and Pwi Pwi Races have all been held as part of Dive Fest over the years. The most well-known event is the Kubuli Canoe Race, four-person teams compete in traditional fishing boats. The grand finale takes place in Soufriere each year on the final day of Dive Fest. Don’t miss it!

The Beach Bar-B-Qs, the "Jing Ping Ting" (an evening of good fun, good food, and dancing to traditional Jing Ping Music), the Kids Snorkel Treasure Hunt, and Family Fun Day with Turtle Hatchlings are all family events. Of course, there is plenty of Scuba Diving, including FREE in-pool sessions and discounted rates for reef diving. You also should not miss the opportunity to go on a Whale Watching Tour at this festival.

Time: July 9th to 18th.
Place: Dominica.

Participating in Hike Fest is one of the best ways to discover Dominica. The annual Hike Fest features Dominica's world-renowned hiking trails, making it the ideal time to discover and experience Dominica, meet new people, and enjoy a day with nature. Annually, visitors explore Dominica's most prominent natural feature. Breathtaking mountain peaks and views along some of Dominica's most iconic hiking trails, led by knowledgeable certified guides.

Hike Fest features a series of hikes held over a one-month period. Hikes vary in difficulty. Anyone can sign up to hike, whether for a single hike or for the entire hike package. The cost includes transportation to and from the hike location, as well as t-shirts, beverages, and other goodies provided by sponsors. The entire festival draws the attention of over 100 hikers trekking to Victoria Falls; exploring the Cabrits National Park under the moonlight; and scaling Morne Diablotin, the highest mountain in Dominica. The hike up Morne Diablotin was a new challenge, in which hikers are timed on the ascent to the top of the mountain.

Time: May.

Place: Dominica.

There may be no better time to immerse yourself in authentic Dominican culture than during Independence Day. Independence celebrations honor Dominica's independence from Great Britain on November 3, 1978. Independence festivities celebrate music, dress, dance, and cuisine. Every year, the country commemorates its Independence with a variety of cultural activities which can last as long as four weeks. These events portray vivid examples of the island's cultural influences. The traditional dances display European traces including Hill & Toe, Waltz, and Quadrille as well as Bèlè, which borrows from African native dances.

The Wob Dwiyet is the centerpiece of the National Dress and is widely worn in this celebration. Jing Ping is the island's traditional music, it is formally known as the Accordian Band and features the Bamboo Flute, the Gwaj (an idiophone), the Boom Boom (a long bamboo wind instrument), and of course the Accordian. The island Quadrille and Bele dances harken back to a time of elegance but with a distinct Caribbean flavor. Independence Day would not be complete without enjoying signature dishes on the island, such as crab-backs, callaloo, and titiwi accras.

Time: November 3rd.

Place: Dominica.

Introduced to promote the tourism product and create a world-class platform for indigenous music, Dominica's World Creole Music Festival (WCMF) has become a famous staple on the regional music gala calendar. Patrons are treated to a cavalcade of star power, emanating from the Caribbean, Africa, French Antilles, and North America arranged to thrill the seasoned festival goer and novice alike, over a trio of enthralling evenings beginning on the final Friday in October each year.

The festival is one of the most famous festivals in Dominica which began in 1997 during International Creole Month in October to boost lagging tourist arrivals during the island's Independence celebrations which culminate on November 3rd. The World Creole Musical Festival, dubbed "The Festival That Never Sleeps" because of its late-night kickoffs, is part of a three-week festival that also includes the Cadence Lypso Competition and Creole In The Park.

The festival is held on the last Friday in October each year. For more than twenty years, the festival has been held in Roseau, the island's capital, for the enjoyment of viewers who enjoy music and performances from various Caribbean genres. The festival's focus has been on musical genres with roots in various forms of musical fusion from Creole-speaking countries. Musical forms performed at the festival include Cadence-lypso, Kompa, Zouk, Soukous, Bouyon, and Zydeco (from the US state of Louisiana).

Time: last Friday in October.

Place: Dominica.

Dominica’s Jazz ‘n Creole Festival is a festive fusion of Jazz Music with Creole Food, Music, and Culture. The festival, which was first held in 2010 by the Discover Dominica Authority, has been well received each year as patrons appreciate the inviting and casual ambiance of one of Dominica’s major tourism attractions.

Dominica’s Jazz ‘n Creole Festival is one of the most famous festivals on the island. This festival draws the attention of a large crowd of jazz enthusiasts to Dominica's shores. The festival was all about happiness and enjoyment with musical performances by various jazz artists and bands.

Time: May 1.

Place: Dominica.