St Patrick’s Festival

St Patrick’s Festival is Montserrat's largest festival dedicated to St. Patrick's Day. Montserrat is one of only a few countries outside of Ireland that observes March 17 as a national holiday. The lively celebrations marking Ireland's national holiday last an entire week in Montserrat.

On the "other emerald isle," St. Patrick's Day commemorates the March 17, 1768 slave uprising in Montserrat. The day is marked by plenty of drinking, partying, and a lively parade, as it is in Ireland. Montserrat's St. Patrick's Day Festival, on the other hand, includes masked street dancers known as Masqueraders, a recreated slave village complete with a slave feast of local food, and a junior calypso competition. There is also a Freedom Run between Cudjoe Head and Salem Park, as well as kite flying, top-spinning, and unique music with African and Irish influences.

Takes place: on March 17 and lasts one week.