If you’ve never heard of Antigua Carnival, the greatest summer festival in the Caribbean, add it to your list for 2024. The Official Antigua Carnival 2024 dates are:
July 25th – August 6th, 2024
Carnival parade dates fall on August 5th, 2024 & Tuesday mas on August 6th, 2024. Not to mention the band of the year, Insane Carnival TURNS 10 making this a summer festival you don’t want to miss.
**This article is written in partnership with Antigua Festivals Commission & Insane Carnival but all opinions are my own.**
Things To Know About Antigua Carnival
- It’s held in St. John’s, Antigua; recommended airport V. C. Bird International Airport (ANU)
- Antigua is pronounced “Antiga”
- Antigua Carnival was once celebrated during Christmas but had its official summer start in 1957 (Emancipation Day). Read more HERE.
- Antigua has a sister isle called Barbuda (known for pink sand beaches)
- There are 3 days of mas – T-shirt mas, Dutty Mas, Monday mas and Tuesday mas
- T-shirt Mas takes place on the last Saturday in July (1-2 weeks before Carnival Monday)
- Minimum recommended travel dates – Friday to Wednesday (August 2nd to August 7th)
- Minimum cost $2500-$3000 (depending on stay, costume preferences, # of ppl in party)
- Currency used is the Eastern Caribbean Dollar (XCD)
- National dishes are fungee, ducana, saltfish, chop up, pepper pot, black pineapple among others
Where To Stay In Antigua For Carnival
- Royalton CHIC Antigua
- Royalton Antigua (all inclusive)
- Sandals Grande Antigua
- Cocobay Resort (all inclusive)
- Siboney Beach Club
If sourcing an Airbnb or home rental, recommended areas to stay are Saint John’s Parish, Dickenson Bay, Jolly Harbour among others.
For more hotel recommendations or where to stay, see As Told By Ali’s Antigua Carnival 2024 Planning Guide.
Antigua Carnival 2024 Costumes
While there are several troupes to choose from, I’ve jumped up with Insane Carnival twice and their presentations never miss along with the quality and attention to detail of their costumes and service on the road. They also offer packages for Dutty Mas/Jouvert & T Shirt Mas.
This year’s presentation commemorates their TENTH year as a carnival troupe on the road with a theme entitled GALA (“a stylistic interpretation of a carnival ball”). All costumes designed and produced by local Antiguan designer & team, Janna Henry of Janna Costume Designs. They’ve won Band of the Year in 2015, 2018, 2019 and 2023.
Other troupes that offer Antigua Carnival 2024 packages for T Shirt Mas, Dutty Mas/Jouvert and Carnival Monday & Tuesday can be found here:
- Myst Carnival
- Sechuns The Band
- Invaders Carnival
- Barefoot Promotions
- Project Sync / Caution
- ChattaBox Company
Antigua Carnival Soca Music
From tunes from Burning Flames, Claudette Peters, Tian Winter, Ricardo Drue & more. The best way to get familiar with the music is listening to DJ’s like DJ Quest, The Spaniard, DJ Riddim Master, DJ Jime, DJ Elementz, Sir Lance, and I could go on. The music is comprised of calypso, buoyon, zouk, soca riddims and is based on story-telling like “dance, scratch and wink up”, “kick up dus(t) and more…
Antigua Carnival 2024 Events
The timeline of events is important when figuring out your Antigua Carnival line up. The Antigua Carnival 2024 schedule is lengthy (starting as early as Spring) with cultural events like T Shirt Mas, Party Monarch, Calypso Monarch, Melting Pot, DruesDay and parties like Blue Jeans, Rise, Drink Til Ya Weak and more. I had the pleasure of attending Ripple & Lemonade; Top Shelf Event staple parties for the season. Stay tuned to Antigua Festivals, Two6Eight, Top Shelf Events, Ticketing Events for a schedule all things Antigua Carnival 2024. For all the fete vibes and event recaps, things to do in Antigua – follow Chav Da Kid.
Dutty People Only Trust Dutty People
Then follows Dutty Mas early MONDAY morning . Calypso mixed with bouyon and zouk riddims, a live band, bush branches, paint, mud, oil, powder & water. Insane Carnival prides themselves on keeping their brand “authentically Antiguan” and that is what you can expect from their version of DUTTY MAS. It occurs in the wee early morning hours of Emancipation Day and ends shortly after sunrise.
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Carnival Monday
After Dutty Mas, you get ready for Carnival Monday in Antigua. It is a more relaxed day with masqueraders donning their carnival Monday wear choices which is complimentary with your Insane Carnival costume. Meeting up with the band on time is pivotal because Insane Carnival provides lunch before heading on the road and rightfully so because the carnival route is NO JOKE and goes well into the night.
Carnival Tuesday
Carnival Tuesday is when you will wear your full costume. However, it is a full on competition so when the troupe leader says to get in your section – YOU get in your section. It is an active competition culminating into crossing the stage towards the end of the night. The streets are lined off with locals spectating and rooting their favorite troupe on – so if its your first time in Antigua for carnival – everybody is a participant in mas (from the very young to the old). Insane Carnival offers non stop vibes and an all inclusive carnival experience from beginning to end.
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Things To Do In Antigua
Antigua and Barbuda is known for it’s 365 beaches (literally one beach for every day of the year). There’s a plethora of things to do like local Antiguan food tours, stingray tour, a scenic historical island tour or a day trip to the sister isle (think picture perfect pink sand) – Barbuda. For more recommendations,
Beach Clubs
Antiguan Native, Jen Sainty is a local creator exploring for all things beaches, beach clubs and things to do on Antigua and Barbuda. And to check out the scenic unbeaten paths and untouched beauty of the islands, you have to follow Antiguan local, JervezLee.
Antigua Carnival is the perfect combination of authentic culture, vibes and relaxation.
And much more.. hope to see you at the GREATEST summer festival in 2024.
