St Maarten Day

St Maarten Day is also known as Martinmas is the most famous festival in Sint Maarten. This most famous festival celebrates St Martin of Tours and is a traditional time for celebrations. The island of St Martin, of which St Maarten is a part, was so named by Christopher Columbus because he discovered the country on the saint's feast day in 1493. The festival is celebrated on 11 November and is a public festival so most shops are closed.

St Maarten Day is not only the most famous festival in Sint Maarten but also a popular children's day in many parts of Sint Maarten. Typically, on the early winter evening of November 11, groups of young children can be heard roaming the streets singing and reciting poems, holding small lanterns made from beets, or, more recently, from paper or tubers beets plastered in front of them when they knock on the door and sing songs or recite small poems in hopes of getting candy in return, similar to Halloween, but not quite as commercial.

• Organization time: November 11 every year
• Location: Sint Maarten