Spicemas Carnival, Grenadines
Florianópolis Carnival, Brazil
Jacmel Carnival, Haiti
Content of this article
What is the Spicemas Carnival?
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The Spicemas Carnival is a celebration that takes place in Granada during the month of August, lasts 10 days and commemorates the end of slavery. This carnival is special, not only because it is held in the middle of the year, but also because it has a great history that celebrates the culture and history of the island. The tradition of these carnivals comes from the Africans, who were forced to be transported to the Caribbean to be enslaved. Although at first the slaves were not allowed to celebrate their traditions, they were carried out in secret.
The carnivals of Spicemas are a colorful mix of their culture and good traditional music. Here people arefree to be who and how they are, all is fun and togetherness. The carnival combines parades, contests, exhibitions, food and drinking in one place for the enjoyment of residents and visitors alike.
We accompany you to know all about the Spicemas Carnival..
The Spicemas Carnival is celebrated as a commemoration of the culture and history of Granada. People take to the streets party and music
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When is the Spicemas Carnival?
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TheSpicemas Carnival will take place from approximately August 4 to August 11.
History of the Spicemas Carnivals
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Carnival began in the 18th century as a celebration that took place before Lent began. French colonists feasted and celebrated in feasting and dancing before abstaining once the religious fast began. Slaves were not allowed to participate, so they created rituals based on the events of their slavers combined with African traditions.
After emancipation, former slaves would cover themselves with burnt cane or melaza, to personify one of the most important festive elements today: the Jab Jabs. The Jab Jab Jab characters evolved to become a representation of the demons that terrorized neighborhoods. Today the Jab Jabs are covered with oil, wear horns, chains, often have raw fish in their mouths and carry torches.
Prior to independence in 1974, Carnival had been held on the traditional date ofthe Monday and Tuesday before Ash Wednesday. However, after a process of study, it was decided that August would be a more appropriate date, as it would not compete with Trinidad and Tobago’s Carnival.
Where is Spicemas Carnival
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Spicemas Carnival is celebrated in the capital of Grenada, Saint George in the Caribbean. The carnival takes different spots such as Cricket Stadium, Tanteen Street and other streets in the capital.
People take to the streets to dance and party during Spicemas Carnival
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How is the Spicemas Carnival celebrated?
The Spicemas Carnival is a wonderful celebration completely jam-packed with events from start to finish. Today, the carnival is recognized as one of the most colorful and joyous celebrations on the entire island. In this way, it manages to attract thousands of people every year.
The festivities are made up of some essential elements that can never be missing.
Children’s Carnival
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It is the first big show of the carnivals where children participate. Here the participants dress up in dresses, perform parades and some calypso bands perform.
National Carnival Queen Show
Spicemas is full of shows and parades, one of these is the queen ceremony where the youngest women of Granada compete to win the annual title of the National Carnival Queen. During the ceremony the contestants will wear elegant evening gowns, traditional costumes and perform.
Soca Monarch And Groovy Finals
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Music and dance are important cultural elements to the locals, which is why the carnivals of Spicemas would not be complete without a music contest. The contest has different categories for all performers to participate in the event. There are colorful costumes, dancers, ensembles and dozens of hours of pure catchy music.
J’ouvert
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It is a party that takes place in the streets and lasts until the evening or even into the early hours of the morning. The people who participate bathe themselves in dark oil, making their whole body painted black. In addition, participants wear costumes, masks, chains or horns.
Despite being a fun event, the J’ouvert is actually one of the most important ceremonies of Caribbean carnivals. For decades, the J’ouvert has represented the free spirit, the end of slavery and freedom of worship. At this event, people have the opportunity to see iconic characters such as the Shortknee or the Jab Jab, both important representatives of theCarnival festivities.
The Last Lap
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It is a parade that is intended toclose the festivities. The bandas play and the participants march in colorful costumes, make alast lap through the streets. This fiesta is known as “The Last Lap” as it brings the festivities to an end.
Tips to go to the Spicemas Carnival
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Keep in mind that the main carnival celebrations are free, however, there are certain ceremonies that require an entrance fee to gain access to the festivities. Be sure to stay hydrated because the heat and humidity on the island during the carnival period are quite intense.
Also, plan your trip in advance so you can fully enjoy the carnivals without any interruptions or problems.
If you want to know more about tourism in this country I recommend this guide:.
Events at Spicemas Carnival
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The carnival is celebrated in different ways, preserving theculture and traditions of the island. The first event is the carnival of the children, who parade and perform different activities. Then takes place the Carnival Queen contest, where the candidates compete to win the title of queen.
The following day takes place the Soca Groovy Monarch Finals, a music and dance competition of great importance to the locals, as there are various cultural and historical components to the compositions.
During the last days of celebration the J’ouvert, a celebration where people take to the streets in dresses, covered with oil or dressed as demons, is one of the main festivities and is when people take to the streets of the city to celebrate in style with music, dance and colors..
The last day is the Mas Band Parade and the Final Lap, the closing ceremony. The Parade de Bandas Mas is one of the most anticipated events of the carnivals, everyone takes to the streets to party in incredible colorful costumes, full of feathers and glitter. The Final Lap is a last celebration in which participants give everything they have to party one last time before closing the festivities. Participants take to the streets dancing, wearing colorful and traditional costumes.
During the Spicemas carnival parade people cover themselves with oil to go through the streets
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Spicemas Carnival Parades
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One of the most important parades is the J’ouvert. In the event, people take to the streets wearing colorful or provocative costumes. There are also groups of people who take a more traditional side and fill their bodies with dark oil, paint their skin black, wear chains and some wear masks to represent demons. The streets are filled with people, the bands set the mood for the celebration withtraditional music and the festivities last as long as the body can take it. You can also spot the iconic Shortknee, characters wearing colorful costumes who wear masks.
The main parade is theMas Band Parade. The event includes the participation ofthousands of people in colorful and feathered costumes. The event is accompanied with traditional Caribbean music, drinks everywhere and an incrediblecelebratory atmosphere.
Parade route
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The Shortknee are signature characters in Spicemas’ big carnival parade
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The parade takes place in the different streets of Saint George, the capital of the island. People occupy the main streets and avenues to perform the most spectacular show of the week.
Nutmeg ice cream is one of the most typical meals on the island
What to eat at the Carnival of Spicemas
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One of the most typical foods on the island is the Nutmeg Ice Cream, a nutmeg ice cream, which is no surprise since the island is one of the main exporters and producers of this spice. There’s also Pelau, a chicken and shrimp dish that has rice, beans and coconut milk.
If you want to visit some of the local eateries the city has to offer, the most popular are: Sails Restaurant & Bar, Patrick’s Local Homestyle Cooking Restaurant and Savvy’s at Mount Cinnamon.
Pelau is a traditional dish of rice, shrimp and coconut milk
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Travel Insurance
From Carnavalesdelmundo.org we recommend to hire a good insurance to visit this carnival and to know the rest of the country. For being our readers we offer a 5% discount on all IATI insurance. Read more information about all insurance offers here:
What to see and do inside the Spicemas Carnival
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Within the carnivals you have a lot of things to see and do, one of them is to participate or see the J’ouvert parade, where you can see the different participants dressed in colorful costumes and disguises or covered in oil, wearing chains and masks with horns. You can also attend the traditional music events, these are the soul of the festival, as it is the purest and simplest representation of the culture of the island.
What to see and do outside the Spicemas Carnivals
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Some popular attractions on the island are:
House of Chocolate
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A small museum, chocolate shop and cafe that showcases the history of chocolate production in the world and the island. It specializes in the region’s chocolate in an organic and clean way.
Fort George
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It is one of the most important historical structures of the island, since it functioned with defense of the city at the time of colonization. From the fort you have an incredible view of the city.
Grenada National Museum
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The building served as a French barracks. The museum was established in 1976, covering topics such as slavery, early inhabitants and plantations.
Safety at the Spicemas Carnival
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Grenada is one of the safest Caribbean territories, compared to some Caribbean islands and regions where the rate of violence is higher. However, we recommend keeping your valuables in a safe place to avoid theft and misplacement. Also, we recommend the following products to keep your valuables safe:
Weather at the Spicemas Carnival
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The weather in Saint George during carnival is somewhat hot. The temperature ranges between 31 and 25 degrees Celsius. We recommend you to take precautions against this type of weather.
The Spicemas Carnival is celebrated as a commemoration of the culture and history of Granada. People take to the streets in a festive mood and with music
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How to get to the Spicemas Carnival
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How to get there by plane
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You can arrive at Maurice Bishop International Airport, it is the main airport of the city and receives different international flights from the Caribbean, America and some areas of Europe. From here you can use the different means to get to the city center.
How to get there by cruise
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The island has a main port in the capital that welcomes multiple cruise ships all year round.
How to arrive by car
From the airport you can travel by car taking the Maurice Bishop Memorial Highway. The drive is 10 minutes to the city center.
You can also head to Grand Anse Beach, take a boat and head downtown.
Where to stay at Spicemas Carnival
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Blue Horizons Garden Resort
3-star resort 3.8 km from the center. Rooms have TV, private bathroom with shower and hairdryer. Facilities include swimming pool, bar, restaurant and free internet.
Calabash Luxury Boutique Hotel
5 star hotel 5 km from the city. Rooms have television, internet and minibar. Facilities offer swimming pool, airport travel, restaurant and bar.
Gem Holiday Beach Resort
3-star resort 4 km from town. Rooms have air conditioning, satellite TV and balcony. The resort offers beach, bar, restaurant and free parking.
We recommend you use Booking.com to book hotels at a good price, check more information here:.
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