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Now Playing 1/1
Carl Heastie - Black and Latino Power Breakfast
Caribbean, African & Latin American Events | April 1–June 1, 2026
April 1 – June 1, 2026

Caribbean, African & Latin American
Cultural Events — 53 Cities & Islands

Carnivals, music festivals, film festivals, dance celebrations, exhibitions & conferences — 3–5 events per city, alphabetically organized by region — including 13 Caribbean island territories.

🇯🇲 🇹🇹 🇧🇧 🇭🇹 🇨🇺 🇩🇴 🇵🇷 🇬🇾 🇬🇧 🇫🇷 🇨🇦 🇳🇬 🇧🇷 🇨🇴 🇬🇭
53
Cities & Islands
4
Continents
250+
Events listed
8
Event types
Dates marked ✓ confirmed come from official sources. Annual/expected events are based on recurring patterns — always verify with official event websites before traveling.
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Showing all 53 cities & islands — click any header to expand
Europe & Canada
🇳🇱
Amsterdam, Netherlands
Surinamese, Antillean & African diaspora hub
Europe
Keti Koti spring cultural programmingArts
April–May 2026 — Bijlmer & Oosterpark
Amsterdam's Surinamese and Caribbean communities begin preparations for Keti Koti (July 1 — "Broken Chains") with art exhibitions, film screenings, panel discussions, and community gatherings at Oosterpark and cultural centres across Zuidoost.
Kwakoe Summer Festival — spring warm-up eventsMusic
April–May 2026 — Bijlmer Arena
Europe's largest Caribbean summer festival (held July–August) begins its spring warm-up events in Bijlmer — community fetes, vendor markets, and cultural performances celebrating Surinamese, Antillean, and Caribbean heritage.
Afro-Latin dance congress — spring editionDance
April 2026 (Annual)
Amsterdam hosts a spring Afro-Latin dance congress drawing kizomba, salsa, and semba instructors from across the Caribbean and Africa to one of Europe's most vibrant dance diaspora communities.
Weekly Afrobeats, soca & dancehall nights — BijlmerMusic
Every weekend, April–May 2026
The Caribbean-majority Bijlmer neighbourhood hosts weekly diaspora music events featuring Afrobeats, soca, reggae, and dancehall — one of Europe's most active year-round Caribbean music scenes.
Black Achievement Month — spring community forumsConference
April–May 2026
The Black Achievement Month Foundation hosts spring community forums, panel discussions, and cultural programming celebrating the achievements of Amsterdam's African and Caribbean communities.
🇬🇧
Birmingham, UK
Second-largest Caribbean population in the UK
Europe
Birmingham International Carnival — spring mas workshopsCarnival
April–May 2026
Community costume-building workshops and rehearsal events begin for Birmingham's major Caribbean carnival (August), serving one of the UK's oldest Jamaican, Trinidadian, and Barbadian communities.
Simmer Down Festival — reggae & socaMusic
May 2026 (Annual)
A springtime celebration of reggae, soca, and Afrobeats in Birmingham featuring both established and emerging Caribbean artists, honouring a city with one of the UK's deepest Caribbean musical traditions.
Birmingham Museum — African & Caribbean heritage exhibitionsExhibition
Spring 2026 (Ongoing)
Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery presents rotating community-curated exhibitions and educational programming connected to the city's African and Caribbean heritage, open to the public.
Midlands African & Caribbean Arts Network showcaseArts
April–May 2026
A spring showcase of African and Caribbean visual artists, spoken word performers, and musicians from across the West Midlands — celebrating the creative output of Birmingham's diverse Black communities.
🇧🇪
Brussels, Belgium
Congolese, Rwandan & Caribbean diaspora
Europe
Pearl Afro Latin CongressDance
Spring 2026 (Annual)
A major international congress drawing kizomba, salsa, semba, and tarraxinha instructors from across the Caribbean and Africa to Brussels — one of Belgium's premier Afro-Caribbean cultural dance events.
Africa Museum — Central Africa & Caribbean spring programmingExhibition
April–May 2026 — Tervuren
The Royal Museum for Central Africa presents spring programming on Central African and Caribbean diaspora connections, with rotating exhibitions and public lectures relevant to Brussels' large Congolese community.
Couleur Café Festival — spring warm-up eventsMusic
April–May 2026 (Main festival: June)
Belgium's premier Afrobeats and Caribbean sounds festival begins spring community programming — showcasing Caribbean, African, and Latin artists at Brussels venues ahead of the main June festival.
Caribbean Diaspora Forum — EU QuarterConference
May 2026
An EU-focused forum on Caribbean diaspora policy, culture, and trade — organized by Brussels-based Caribbean associations and EU institutional partners. Open to the public for select sessions.
Brussels Kizomba Congress & Festival (BKF)Dance
April 2026 (Annual)
One of Europe's leading kizomba congresses, celebrating the Angolan and Cape Verdean roots of a dance form that has spread across the Caribbean and African diaspora worldwide — workshops, socials, and performances.
🇬🇧
London, UK
Europe's Caribbean capital — Windrush legacy city
Europe
London International Ska FestivalMusic✓ confirmed
April 2–4, 2026 — London
Launched in 1988, this beloved festival features Keith & Tex, Roy & Yvonne, and a special Rock Against Racism 50th Anniversary Show starring Misty In Roots and the Cimarons — celebrating the Caribbean roots of ska in British music culture.
Afrobeats & Brunch — Good Friday Special, Brixton JammMusic✓ confirmed
Friday, April 3, 2026 — Brixton Jamm
A signature Afro-Caribbean brunch-party experience at Brixton Jamm — London's epicentre of Caribbean culture — blending Afrobeats, soca, and dancehall with Caribbean food. A Good Friday institution in Brixton.
Spring Black Marketplace Popup — Camden TownMarketplace✓ confirmed
Saturday, April 4, 2026 — St. Michael's Church, Camden
A vibrant pop-up marketplace celebrating Black-owned businesses from Africa, the Caribbean, and the wider diaspora — vendors offering food, fashion, art, books, and crafts. Free to attend.
La Linea — London Latin Music Festival (26th year)Music✓ confirmed
April 20 – May 6, 2026 — Venues across London
London's biggest Latin music festival — now in its 26th year — features a 90% female lineup spanning reggaeton, salsa, and Latin jazz from across Latin America and the Caribbean diaspora. Tickets from £10.
City Splash Festival — Caribbean & African UK musicFestival✓ confirmed
Sunday, May 25, 2026 — Brockwell Park
Celebrating the impact of Caribbean and African culture in the UK music scene — from roots and dub to jungle and garage — headlined by Beres Hammond plus Gyptian, Jada Kingdom, and Queen Ifrica at Brixton's iconic Brockwell Park.
Africa Tech Summit LondonConference✓ confirmed
Friday, May 29, 2026 — London
London's premier gathering for African and Caribbean-diaspora tech entrepreneurs and investors — forging connections across the Black Atlantic business ecosystem.
🇬🇧
Manchester, UK
Second-oldest Caribbean carnival in the UK
Europe
50th Anniversary Jubilee ShowcaseMusic✓ confirmed
Monday, April 6, 2026 — Manchester
A landmark 50-year jubilee celebration for Caribbean music culture in Manchester — the city that hosts the UK's second-oldest Caribbean carnival — with performances from Jamaican and Caribbean artists.
Manchester Caribbean Carnival — spring community preparationCarnival
April–May 2026 (Main carnival: August, Alexandra Park)
Manchester's Caribbean Carnival begins spring mas-building workshops and community fundraisers, serving the city's long-established Jamaican and Eastern Caribbean community dating back to the Windrush era.
HOME Manchester — African & Caribbean arts spring seasonArts
April–May 2026
HOME Manchester presents spring programming celebrating African and Caribbean theatre, film, and visual art — including commissioned works from Black British and diaspora artists.
Afrobeats & Caribbean music nights — Manchester venuesMusic
Every weekend, April–May 2026
Manchester's vibrant African and Caribbean music scene hosts weekly events across venues including Band on the Wall and Gorilla, featuring Afrobeats, soca, dancehall, and afroswing throughout spring.
🇨🇦
Montreal, Canada
Haitian community capital of Canada
Canada
Haitian Flag Day celebrations — May 18Cultural
Around May 18, 2026 — Montreal
Montreal's vast Haitian community — the largest in Canada — marks Haitian Flag Day (May 18) with concerts, cultural gatherings, art exhibitions, and community events across Little Haiti and citywide venues.
Vues d'Afrique — African & Caribbean Film FestivalFilm
April–May 2026 — Cinéma Moderne & venues
One of North America's most important African and Caribbean film festivals, celebrating francophone Caribbean cinema (Haiti, Martinique, Guadeloupe) alongside African cinema — a landmark event for Montreal's diverse Black francophone community.
Festival International de Salsa — spring workshopsDance
May 2026
Early workshops celebrating the Afro-Caribbean roots of salsa, zouk, and kizomba ahead of Montreal's internationally recognized Latin dance festival season — instructors from across the Caribbean diaspora.
Black Community Resource Centre — spring public programmingConference
April–May 2026
The BCRC hosts spring events on African and Caribbean diaspora history, cultural education, and community resources — open to the public and serving Montreal's diverse Black communities from Haiti, the Caribbean, and sub-Saharan Africa.
Caribbean arts exhibitions — Galerie des arts interculturelsExhibition
Spring 2026
Montreal galleries host spring exhibitions celebrating Caribbean and Afro-Canadian visual art — particularly strong in Haitian painting and sculpture, long celebrated in Montreal's francophone cultural community.
🇳🇴
Oslo, Norway
Growing African & Caribbean diaspora in Scandinavia
Europe
Oslo Afrobeats & Caribbean music spring seasonMusic
April–May 2026 — East Oslo venues
Oslo's growing African and Caribbean community hosts regular concerts and club nights featuring Afrobeats, reggae, soca, and dancehall — centered in Oslo's culturally diverse east-side neighbourhoods.
Black History Norway — spring exhibitions & eventsCultural
April–May 2026
Norwegian organisations celebrating Black and African diaspora history host spring programming including exhibitions, panel discussions, and community events in Oslo — growing in prominence alongside Norway's increasingly diverse population.
Afro-Nordic dance & culture workshopsDance
April–May 2026
Oslo's African diaspora organisations run spring dance workshops celebrating African and Caribbean dance traditions — including Afrobeats choreography and Caribbean dance forms — open to all skill levels.
African diaspora community forum — Oslo springConference
April–May 2026
Oslo's African and Caribbean diaspora organisations host spring forums on community issues, integration, and cultural preservation — connecting Norway's diverse Black communities through dialogue and programming.
🇫🇷
Paris, France
Martinican, Guadeloupean & African diaspora capital
Europe
Salon du Livre Afrique–Caraïbes — Paris Book FairLiterary
April–May 2026 (Annual spring)
Paris's premier gathering celebrating francophone literature from Martinique, Guadeloupe, Haiti, and Africa — author readings, publisher showcases, and panels on Caribbean and African letters. Open to the public.
Afropéa Festival — multidisciplinary spring editionFestival
May 2026 (Annual)
Celebrating the Afropean identity — Africa and the Caribbean in Europe — through music, art, film, and dialogue. Particularly resonant for France's Caribbean overseas communities from Martinique, Guadeloupe, and French Guiana.
African & Caribbean film screenings — Paris art cinemasFilm
April–May 2026
Paris's network of art cinemas hosts spring programming celebrating African and Afro-Caribbean cinema, with screenings, filmmaker Q&As, and panels on the rich tradition of Francophone Caribbean filmmaking.
Carnaval Antillais de Colombes — spring preparation eventsCarnival
April–May 2026 (Carnival held late June)
Paris's major Caribbean carnival (late June) begins community mas-building and rehearsal events in spring — one of Europe's most culturally significant Caribbean carnival traditions, drawing France's Martinican and Guadeloupean community.
Paris Afro-Latin dance congress — spring editionDance
April 2026
Paris hosts one of Europe's liveliest Afro-Latin dance scenes, with a spring congress drawing zouk, kizomba, and Afro-Caribbean dance instructors from across France's vast Caribbean and African diaspora communities.
🇳🇱
Rotterdam, Netherlands
Europe's largest summer carnival — 800,000 visitors
Europe
Zomercarnaval — spring costume workshops & band launchesCarnival
April–May 2026 (Main carnival: July)
Rotterdam's Zomercarnaval (July) — Europe's largest summer carnival at 800,000+ visitors — begins intensive spring preparation with mas workshops, band launches, and Caribbean cultural events across the city.
Dunya World Music Festival — spring community eventsMusic
May 2026 — Rotterdam
One of Europe's premier world music events begins spring community programming featuring African and Caribbean artists, reflecting Rotterdam's identity as Europe's most diverse port city.
Caribbean & Surinamese heritage exhibitions — Rotterdam museumsExhibition
Spring 2026
Rotterdam's Wereldmuseum and city museums host spring programming on Surinamese, Antillean, and Caribbean heritage, reflecting the city's deep historical ties to the Caribbean region.
Afro-Latin dance & kizomba congress — RotterdamDance
April 2026
Rotterdam hosts one of the Benelux's most active Afro-Latin dance scenes, with a spring kizomba and Caribbean dance congress drawing instructors and dancers from across the Netherlands' Caribbean community.
🇸🇪
Stockholm, Sweden
African & Caribbean diaspora — Nordic multicultural hub
Europe
Afrobeats & Caribbean spring music nightsMusic
Every weekend, April–May 2026
Stockholm's vibrant African and Caribbean diaspora music scene — centered in Rinkeby-Kista — offers weekly events featuring Afrobeats, dancehall, soca, and reggae at venues across the Swedish capital throughout spring.
Afrosvenskt cultural spring showcase — KulturhusetExhibition
Spring 2026
Stockholm's Kulturhuset presents spring programming celebrating the contributions of Afro-Swedish and Black diaspora communities — including Caribbean-Swedes — with exhibitions, discussions, and performances open to all.
Africa & Caribbean Community Festival — RinkebyFestival
May 2026
Rinkeby — sometimes called "Little Africa" — hosts a spring community festival celebrating African and Caribbean cultures through food, music, and cultural programming in Stockholm's most diverse neighbourhood.
Nordic African dance workshop seriesDance
April–May 2026
Stockholm's African and Caribbean dance community runs spring workshop series celebrating traditional and contemporary Afro and Caribbean dance forms — open to all skill levels.
🇨🇦
Toronto, Canada
North America's Caribbean carnival capital
Canada
Caribana 2026 — mas band costume launches & early fetesCarnival
May 2026 — GTA venues (Parade: August 1)
Caribana's fete season opens in late spring as mas bands launch costumes and early parties begin across the GTA — building toward North America's largest Caribbean carnival and one of the world's biggest cultural festivals.
CaribbeanTales International Film Festival — spring screeningsFilm
April–May 2026 — Toronto cinemas
CaribbeanTales presents spring screenings of Caribbean cinema from across the region — fiction, documentary, and diaspora perspectives — at Toronto venues, building toward its main festival season.
Caribbean Studies Association Annual ConferenceConference
May/June 2026 — University of Toronto
One of the preeminent scholarly conferences on Caribbean culture, history, and politics — with public lectures and community programming open to Toronto's large and diverse Caribbean community.
Afrofest Toronto — spring preview programmingMusic
May 2026 — Woodbine Park
North America's largest free African music festival (July) holds spring preview programming and community events celebrating the connections between African and Caribbean musical traditions.
Weekly Caribbean fetes — GTA club circuitMusic
Every weekend, April–May 2026
Toronto maintains one of the world's most active Caribbean fete circuits — weekly soca, dancehall, reggae, and Afrobeats events across the GTA every spring weekend. Check Eventbrite Toronto for current listings.
United States — Southeast & Mid-Atlantic
🍌
Atlanta, GA
39th Caribbean Carnival — May 23 · Atlanta Jazz Festival
USA
Atlanta Caribbean Carnival 2026 — 39th AnnualCarnival✓ confirmed
Saturday, May 23, 2026 — Rodney Cook Sr. Park, Historic Vine City
The Official Atlanta Caribbean Carnival celebrates 39 years at Rodney Cook Sr. Park — mas bands, soca and reggae stages, Caribbean cuisine, and cultural showcases for Atlanta's fast-growing Caribbean community. Tickets: atlantacarnival.org
Atlanta Jazz Festival — Piedmont ParkMusic✓ confirmed
May 23–25, 2026 — Piedmont Park (Free admission)
One of America's largest free jazz festivals over Memorial Day Weekend, celebrating the deep African and Caribbean roots of jazz. Free admission — a beloved Atlanta community tradition.
AfroCuban Dance Congress — AtlantaDance
Spring 2026 — Atlanta
One of the Southeast's major Afro-Cuban dance congresses, celebrating the African roots of Cuban dance traditions through workshops, performances, and social dance events in Atlanta.
Whine Walk Run 5K & International Food FestivalCultural
May 2026 — Atlanta
A uniquely Caribbean Atlanta event combining a 5K run with an international food festival celebrating Caribbean and African cuisines — a fun, family-oriented community celebration.
Atlanta Caribbean Heritage Month — May preview eventsMusic
Late May 2026
Atlanta's Jamaican, Trinidadian, and Eastern Caribbean communities host late May concerts and cultural events previewing National Caribbean-American Heritage Month (June) — fetes, food events, and community showcases.
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Baltimore, MD
Caribbean Wine & Music Festival — May 23–24
USA
Caribbean Wine & Music Festival at Linganore WinecellarsMusic✓ confirmed
May 23–24, 2026 — Mount Airy, MD
Open-air Caribbean music and wine pairing with reggae, soca, and calypso in Maryland wine country. A beloved spring tradition for Baltimore metro's Caribbean community.
Kunta Kinte Heritage Festival — AnnapolisCultural
Spring 2026 — Annapolis, MD
The annual Kunta Kinte Heritage Festival in Annapolis celebrates African and Caribbean heritage through cultural programming, drumming, dance, storytelling, and community events at the historic waterfront.
Baltimore Rhythm Festival — spring music seriesMusic
April–May 2026 — Baltimore
Baltimore's rhythm festival series celebrates African and Caribbean musical traditions through live performances, workshops, and community events across the city's vibrant neighbourhoods.
National Society of Black Engineers ConventionConference✓ confirmed
March 18–22, 2026 — Baltimore (community events continue through spring)
A major national convention drawing thousands of Black engineers — with significant Caribbean-American representation — with community and cultural programming serving the DMV's Caribbean diaspora.
🌆
Brooklyn, NY
DanceAfrica at BAM — May 22–25 · CCCADI 50th Anniversary
USA
DanceAfrica 2026 — 49th Annual at BAMDance✓ confirmed
May 22–25, 2026 — Memorial Day Weekend, BAM Howard Gilman Opera House
America's largest annual African and diasporic dance festival — performances at BAM, master classes, film series, art exhibitions, and the legendary outdoor DanceAfrica Bazaar drawing 30,000 visitors with 200+ African and Caribbean vendors. Free bazaar admission.
CCCADI 50th Anniversary — "Know Your Caribbean" exhibitionExhibition✓ confirmed
Spring 2026 — East Harlem & Brooklyn
The Caribbean Cultural Center African Diaspora Institute marks 50 years with a landmark anniversary exhibition honoring five decades of Caribbean and African diaspora cultural preservation in New York City.
Brooklyn Film Festival — diaspora cinema programmingFilm✓ confirmed
May 29 – June 7, 2026 — Brooklyn
The Brooklyn Film Festival includes strong Caribbean and African diaspora programming, with screenings and filmmaker events serving Brooklyn's huge Caribbean community.
Baila NY — Afro-Caribbean Dance Festival spring eventsMusic
Spring 2026 — Brooklyn & Manhattan
Celebrating the full spectrum of Afro-Caribbean dance — Afro-Cuban rumba, Puerto Rican bomba and plena — with workshops, live performances, and community gatherings open to the public.
Weeksville Heritage Center — Caribbean diaspora programmingCultural
April–May 2026 — Crown Heights, Brooklyn
Weeksville Heritage Center in Crown Heights — at the heart of Brooklyn's Caribbean community — presents spring programming on African American and Caribbean history, culture, and community identity.
Fort Lauderdale / Broward County, FL
Large Jamaican, Haitian & Trinidadian community
USA
Las Olas Wine & Food Festival — Latin & Caribbean showcaseFestival✓ confirmed
April 24, 2026 — Las Olas Boulevard
Fort Lauderdale's iconic street festival featuring an extensive celebration of Latin and Caribbean cuisine alongside international wines — serving Broward's enormous Caribbean community in Miramar, Lauderhill, and Lauderdale Lakes.
Savor SoFlo Festival — South Florida Caribbean cultureMusic✓ confirmed
April 18–19, 2026 — Hollywood, FL
A South Florida culinary and cultural festival celebrating the Caribbean and Latin American food traditions defining Broward County's food culture, with live music reflecting the region's diverse heritage.
Broward Caribbean Heritage Month spring launchCultural
Late May 2026
Broward County's Caribbean community — one of the densest concentrations in the US — begins National Caribbean-American Heritage Month events with cultural showcases, community dinners, and heritage programming.
Weekly Caribbean fetes — Lauderhill & Miramar venuesMusic
Every weekend, April–May 2026
Lauderhill and Miramar host some of South Florida's most active Caribbean fete circuits — weekly soca, reggae, and dancehall nights drawing the region's enormous Jamaican, Trinidadian, and Barbadian communities.
🌿
Hartford, CT
Caribbean community established since 1962
USA
Connecticut Caribbean Cultural ForumConference
April–May 2026 — Greater Hartford
Hartford's Caribbean community organisations host spring forums addressing Connecticut Caribbean-American concerns — one of the highest per-capita Caribbean concentrations in the US — covering civic engagement, education, health, and cultural preservation.
Caribbean Heritage Month preview — cultural eventsCultural
Late May 2026
Hartford's established Caribbean community hosts late May exhibitions and performances previewing National Caribbean-American Heritage Month (June) — art shows, musical performances, and community gatherings across the city.
Hartford Caribbean spring fetes & music nightsMusic
Every weekend, April–May 2026
Hartford's large Jamaican and Eastern Caribbean community maintains an active spring fete circuit — weekly reggae, soca, and dancehall events serving one of New England's oldest and most established Caribbean communities.
West Indian Social Club of Hartford — spring eventsFestival
April–May 2026
The West Indian Social Club of Hartford — which organised the first Caribbean carnival here in 1962 — hosts spring cultural programming, heritage dinners, and community events for one of America's longest-standing Caribbean diaspora communities.
🌊
Miami, FL
Best of the Best Soca Festival · Carnaval de Barranquilla · Miami Film Festival
USA
Carnaval de Barranquilla Miami — Colombian Caribbean ParadeCarnival✓ confirmed
Saturday, April 25, 2026 — Coral Gables
A vibrant parade in Coral Gables celebrating Colombia's Caribbean heritage — cumbia, vallenato, and the pageantry of Barranquilla's world-famous carnival tradition, honouring Miami's enormous Colombian-American community.
Best of the Best Soca Festival — Memorial Day WeekendMusic✓ confirmed
May 23–25, 2026 — Miami
One of the world's premier soca festivals, taking over Miami for Memorial Day — considered the unofficial start of the North American Caribbean carnival season, drawing Caribbean music lovers from across the US.
Miami Film Festival — Caribbean & Latin American cinemaFilm✓ confirmed
April 9–19, 2026 — Miami venues (43rd edition)
The Miami Film Festival's 43rd edition spotlights Caribbean and Latin American cinema alongside global films — one of the most important screens for diaspora storytelling in the Americas across 11 days.
Songs of the Diaspora — HistoryMiami MuseumPerformance
Spring 2026 — HistoryMiami Museum
Presented by Hued Songs — a multidisciplinary concert exploring AfroLatinidad through sound, movement, and story, headlined by Afro-Latina operatic soprano Dr. Zuly Inirio, weaving African, Afro-Caribbean, and Afro-Latin traditions.
International Hotel Ownership & Investment Summit (NABHOOD)Conference✓ confirmed
April 2026 — Miami (Annual)
The National Association of Black Hotel Owners brings together Caribbean-American and Black business leaders in hospitality — with significant Caribbean diaspora participation — for Miami's major annual Black business summit.
🏖
Miami Beach, FL
American Black Film Festival — May 27–31
USA
American Black Film Festival (ABFF) 2026Film✓ confirmed
May 27–31, 2026 — Miami Beach
The premier film festival celebrating Black cinema — including Caribbean and Afro-Latin filmmakers — with screenings, panels, pitch competitions, and industry networking. One of the most important platforms for Black storytelling in film.
South Beach Jazz Festival — Caribbean roots programmingMusic
April 2026 — Miami Beach
The South Beach Jazz Festival celebrates jazz with deep Caribbean and African American roots — featuring Cuban jazz, Afro-Caribbean rhythms, and Latin jazz performers in Miami Beach's iconic outdoor settings.
Miami Beach cultural programming — Caribbean & Latin artsCultural
Spring 2026
Miami Beach's cultural calendar includes Caribbean and Latin American programming across visual arts, music, and culinary events — reflecting the city's deep Caribbean and Latin American cultural roots.
🎵
Miramar, FL
Rebel Salute USA — April 19 · Highest Caribbean density in South FL
USA
Rebel Salute USAMusic✓ confirmed
Sunday, April 19, 2026 — Miramar
The US edition of Jamaica's legendary roots reggae festival — known for conscious reggae, roots music, vegetarian food, and an alcohol-free atmosphere. Serving Miramar's massive Jamaican-American community, one of Florida's highest-concentration Caribbean cities.
Miramar Caribbean Heritage spring programmingFestival
April–May 2026
Following the city's February Afro-Carib Festival, Commissioner Edwards' Caribbean outreach continues through spring with community forums, cultural events, and family programming at Miramar Regional Park.
Weekly Caribbean fetes — Miramar & Lauderhill venuesMusic
Every weekend, April–May 2026
Miramar and Lauderhill host South Florida's most active Caribbean fete circuit — weekly events serving the region's enormous Jamaican, Trinidadian, and Barbadian communities in purpose-built Caribbean cultural spaces.
Broward Caribbean business & community summitConference
May 2026 — Miramar
Broward County's Caribbean business organisations host a spring summit connecting Caribbean entrepreneurs, community leaders, and elected officials — reflecting Miramar's status as a Caribbean political and cultural powerhouse in South Florida.
🎷
New Orleans, LA
Jazz Fest · French Quarter Festival · Congo Square
USA
French Quarter Festival — 20+ free stagesMusic✓ confirmed
April 9–12, 2026 — French Quarter (Free)
The largest free music festival in the American South, celebrating New Orleans' diverse heritage — including Afro-Caribbean Creole traditions, brass band, and Latin jazz — across 20+ stages in the French Quarter.
New Orleans Jazz & Heritage FestivalMusic✓ confirmed
Late April – Early May 2026 — Fair Grounds Race Course
One of America's greatest cultural celebrations, rooted in the African and Caribbean heritage of New Orleans — zydeco, jazz, Caribbean, Latin, and world music alongside Creole and Caribbean cuisine over two weekends.
Congo Square New World Rhythms FestivalCultural
April 2026 — Louis Armstrong Park
Congo Square — where enslaved Africans gathered to celebrate their cultures — hosts this annual celebration of African and Caribbean music, dance, and cultural roots at the heart of New Orleans' Black history.
New Orleans Caribbean spring fetes & eventsFestival
April–May 2026
New Orleans' Caribbean community — one of America's oldest, with Haitian roots dating to 1810 — hosts spring cultural events and fetes ahead of the annual NOLA Caribbean Carnival in late June.
Buku Music + Art Project — Caribbean & Latin programmingMusic
April 2026 — New Orleans
BUKU Music + Art Project, New Orleans' major spring festival, regularly features Caribbean and Afro-Latin artists — reflecting the city's uniquely Caribbean-rooted musical identity.
🏙
New York City, NY
Symbolic heart of the global Caribbean diaspora
USA
CCCADI 50th Anniversary — "Know Your Caribbean" exhibitionExhibition✓ confirmed
April–May 2026 — East Harlem & across NYC
The Caribbean Cultural Center African Diaspora Institute marks 50 years with a landmark curated anniversary exhibition honoring five decades of Caribbean and African diaspora cultural preservation in New York City. Free community events throughout spring.
DanceAfrica NYC — Harlem preview events & master classesDance✓ confirmed
April–May 2026 (leading to BAM Memorial Day weekend)
Master classes at Alvin Ailey and community workshops across Harlem in the weeks before DanceAfrica's main festival at BAM (May 22–25), celebrating African and Caribbean diasporic dance.
Caribbean Future Summit — 5th AnnualConference✓ confirmed
Spring 2026 — New York City
A forward-looking conference bringing together Caribbean diaspora leaders, entrepreneurs, policymakers, and cultural figures to shape the future of Caribbean communities at home and abroad.
Weekly Afro-Caribbean fetes — NYC five-borough circuitFestival
Every weekend, April–May 2026
New York's massive Caribbean community maintains one of the world's most active fete circuits — dozens of weekly soca, dancehall, Afrobeats, and Caribbean cultural events across the Bronx, Brooklyn, Queens, and Manhattan throughout spring.
Archipelagic Solidarities — Revolutionary Caribbean lecture seriesArts / Lecture
April–May 2026 — NYC venues
A series of public lectures and cultural events exploring revolutionary Caribbean and transpacific relations — connecting NYC's Caribbean academic and cultural community through programming on diasporic politics and culture.
Norfolk, VA
Bayou Bon Vivant Festival — May 15–17
USA
Bayou Bon Vivant Festival — Town Point ParkFestival✓ confirmed
May 15–17, 2026 — Town Point Park, Norfolk
Celebrating the Caribbean-Creole cultural fusion of the American South with zydeco, Afro-Caribbean, and Louisiana Creole music alongside Caribbean and Cajun food at the Norfolk Waterfront.
Virginia CaribFest — spring community preparationCarnival
Spring 2026 (CaribFest held September)
Virginia CaribFest begins spring community preparation and fundraising events serving Norfolk and Hampton Roads' growing Caribbean community ahead of the September festival.
Norfolk Waterfront Jazz Festival — spring eventsMusic
April–May 2026 — Norfolk Waterfront
Norfolk's waterfront jazz series celebrates the African American and Caribbean musical heritage of the region, with performances rooted in the Afro-Caribbean foundations of jazz and blues at Town Point Park.
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Orlando, FL
Caribbean Carnival — Memorial Day Weekend · Haitian Heritage Month
USA
Orlando Caribbean Carnival — Memorial Day WeekendCarnival✓ confirmed
Memorial Day Weekend, May 2026 — Citrus Bowl area
Central Florida's premier Caribbean carnival with mas parade, soca and reggae stages, and Caribbean food festival — serving one of America's largest Puerto Rican and Eastern Caribbean populations.
Puerto Rican cultural celebrations — spring season, KissimmeeCultural
April–May 2026 — Kissimmee & Orlando
Central Florida has the largest Puerto Rican population in the continental US. Spring events celebrate Boricua heritage through music, food, and cultural exhibitions in Osceola and Orange counties.
Haitian Heritage Month events — Central FloridaCultural
May 2026 — Orlando area
Florida's growing Haitian community marks Haitian Heritage Month (May) with cultural events, art exhibitions, and community programming across Orlando and Central Florida venues.
J'Ouvert Orlando — pre-carnival spring feteMusic
Spring 2026 — Orlando
Orlando's Caribbean community hosts J'Ouvert pre-dawn street parties and spring fetes building toward the Memorial Day carnival — celebrating the freedom traditions of Caribbean carnival culture with paint, powder, and soca.
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Ormond Beach, FL
Spring Break Reggae Festival — April 18
USA
Spring Break Reggae Festival — Destination Daytona PavilionMusic✓ confirmed
Saturday, April 18, 2026 — Destination Daytona Pavilion, Ormond Beach
Headlined by Third World, Passafire, Through the Roots, Josh Heinrichs, and Junior Toots — a 4/20 weekend celebration of roots reggae and Jamaican musical heritage on Florida's Atlantic coast.
Daytona Beach Caribbean & reggae spring music eventsMusic
April–May 2026 — Greater Daytona Beach
The Greater Daytona Beach area hosts a spring season of Caribbean and reggae music events drawing Florida's Caribbean communities and music lovers to this laid-back coastal stretch.
Havana Reggae Fest — Quincy, FLFestival✓ confirmed
Saturday, May 2, 2026 — Quincy, FL
A reggae and Caribbean music festival in North Florida celebrating Jamaican and Caribbean musical heritage, with live bands and cultural programming drawing the region's Caribbean community.
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Philadelphia, PA
Roots Picnic — Jay-Z, Erykah Badu & more
USA
Roots Picnic Philadelphia 2026Music✓ confirmed
May 2026 — Philadelphia
Curated by Questlove — headlined by Jay-Z, Erykah Badu, Kehlani, Brandy, De La Soul, and Monica. A two-day celebration of Black music including deep Caribbean influences, serving Philadelphia's large Jamaican and Trinidadian community.
Philadelphia Caribbean Carnival — spring preparation eventsCarnival
April–May 2026 (Carnival: Father's Day Weekend, Fairmount Park)
Philadelphia's Caribbean carnival begins spring preparation events and mas-band launches, building community ahead of one of the mid-Atlantic's premier Caribbean celebrations held in Fairmount Park.
Association of African American Museums ConferenceConference✓ confirmed
April 2026 — Philadelphia
A national conference of Black museum professionals with programming on African American and Caribbean diaspora history, collections, and community engagement. Open to the public for select events.
Haitian Heritage Month — Philadelphia Caribbean communityCultural
May 2026
Philadelphia's active Haitian and Trinidadian organisations host May events marking Haitian Heritage Month with cultural celebrations, art, and community programming across the city.
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Pittsburgh, PA
Latin American & Caribbean Festival at Pitt · CLAS Lecture Series
USA
43rd Annual Latin American & Caribbean Festival at PittFestival✓ confirmed
March 21 + spring community programming — University of Pittsburgh
Founded 1979 — FREE festival with live music, dance performances, artisan crafts, and Caribbean and Latin cuisine. Community programming continues through April and May via CLAS at Pitt. One of Western PA's largest Latin American & Caribbean gatherings.
CLAS Spring Lecture Series — Caribbean & Latin American StudiesConference✓ confirmed
April–May 2026 — University of Pittsburgh
The Center for Latin American Studies presents spring public lectures and seminars on Caribbean and Latin American culture, history, and politics — free and open to Pittsburgh's growing Latino, Caribbean, and academic community.
DanceAfrica Pittsburgh — spring performancesDance
April–May 2026 — Pittsburgh venues
Pittsburgh hosts DanceAfrica programming in partnership with BAM's national series — bringing African and Caribbean diasporic dance to Rust Belt audiences through performances, workshops, and community events.
Pittsburgh Caribbean community spring fetesMusic
April–May 2026
Pittsburgh's growing Caribbean community hosts spring cultural events and fetes ahead of the annual Pittsburgh Caribbean Carnival (Labor Day weekend) — celebrating Caribbean music and heritage in the Steel City.
Tampa, FL
Tampa Bay Caribbean Festival + Carnival — April 18–19
USA
Tampa Bay Caribbean Festival 2026Festival✓ confirmed
April 18–19, 2026 — Tampa
A confirmed spring Caribbean cultural festival featuring Caribbean music, cuisine, and cultural programming serving Tampa Bay's growing Jamaican, Haitian, and Eastern Caribbean communities.
Tampa Caribbean Carnival — spring preparation eventsCarnival
April–May 2026
Tampa's Caribbean community begins spring mas workshops and community events building toward the city's summer carnival celebrations, reflecting Tampa Bay's fast-growing Caribbean diaspora.
Tampa Bay Caribbean music nights — spring seasonMusic
Every weekend, April–May 2026
Tampa Bay venues host weekly Caribbean music events featuring soca, reggae, and dancehall throughout spring — serving one of Florida's fastest-growing Caribbean communities across Hillsborough and Pinellas counties.
Haitian Heritage Month — Tampa Bay Caribbean communityCultural
May 2026 — Tampa
Tampa Bay's Haitian community marks Haitian Heritage Month with cultural events, art exhibitions, and community programming — one of the fastest-growing Haitian communities on Florida's Gulf Coast.
Caribbean Islands
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Antigua & Barbuda
Antigua Sailing Week · One of the Caribbean's premier spring events
Caribbean
Antigua Sailing WeekFestival✓ confirmed
April 26 – May 2, 2026 — English Harbour, Antigua
One of the world's top offshore regattas — drawing 1,000+ sailors from 50+ nations to Antigua's stunning English Harbour for a week of racing, beach parties, and Caribbean cultural celebrations.
Antigua Carnival — spring mas workshops & early fetesMusic
April–May 2026 (Main Carnival: July–August)
Antigua's world-renowned carnival begins early spring preparation with mas workshops, fetes, and soca competitions as bands build elaborate costumes for the summer's celebrations at the heart of the Eastern Caribbean.
Wadadli Day cultural celebrations — AntiguaMusic
May 1, 2026 — St. John's, Antigua
Antigua's Labour Day celebrations honour the island's cultural and working heritage with street performances, live music, and community events celebrating Wadadli (Antigua's original Arawak name) identity.
Museum of Antigua & Barbuda — spring heritage programmingExhibition
April–May 2026 — St. John's
The Museum of Antigua & Barbuda presents spring programming exploring the island's pre-Columbian Arawak heritage, colonial history, and Afro-Caribbean cultural identity through exhibitions and community events.
Antigua & Barbuda Diaspora conference — springConference
April–May 2026
Community forums connecting Antigua & Barbuda's global diaspora with the island's cultural institutions — covering heritage, investment, and community development ahead of the summer carnival season.
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The Bahamas (Nassau)
Junkanoo Summer Festival · Regattas · Independence build-up
Caribbean
Bahamas Junkanoo Summer Festival — spring launch eventsMusic
April–May 2026 — Nassau
The Bahamas' iconic Junkanoo culture — African-rooted music, vibrant costumes, and street processions — launches its summer festival season with community performances and cultural showcases across Nassau and the Family Islands.
Long Island Regatta — spring sailing & cultureFestival✓ confirmed
May 2026 — Long Island, Bahamas
One of the Bahamas' most celebrated regattas — combining traditional Bahamian sloop racing with island food, rake-and-scrape music, and community celebrations on Long Island's stunning coast.
National Art Gallery of the Bahamas — spring exhibitionsExhibition
April–May 2026 — Nassau
The National Art Gallery of the Bahamas presents spring programming celebrating Bahamian visual art, with exhibitions highlighting Afro-Caribbean traditions, island landscapes, and the vibrancy of Bahamian cultural identity.
Bahamas Heritage Festival — rake-and-scrape & GoombayMusic
April–May 2026 — Nassau & Family Islands
A celebration of Bahamian musical traditions — rake-and-scrape, Goombay, and Junkanoo rhythms — performed across Nassau and the Out Islands, rooted in the African heritage of the Bahamian people.
Bahamas International Film Festival — spring programmingFilm
April–May 2026 — Nassau
BIFF spring programming brings Caribbean and international cinema to Nassau — with screenings, filmmaker workshops, and cultural events celebrating Bahamian storytelling and the broader Caribbean film tradition.
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Barbados
Gospelfest · Crop Over build-up · BIM’s cultural spring
Caribbean
Barbados Gospelfest — International Gospel Music FestivalMusic✓ confirmed
May 2026 — Bridgetown, Barbados
One of the Caribbean's premier gospel music festivals — drawing international gospel artists alongside Barbadian performers for a week of uplifting concerts, workshops, and cultural events that celebrate the island's deep Christian heritage.
Crop Over Festival — spring Foreday Morning & early fetesCarnival
April–May 2026 (Main Crop Over: July–August)
Barbados' celebrated Crop Over — one of the oldest and most iconic Caribbean festivals rooted in the end of the sugar harvest — begins its spring fete season with early parties, calypso competitions, and costume band launches.
Barbados Museum & Historical Society — spring exhibitionsExhibition
April–May 2026 — Bridgetown
The Barbados Museum presents spring exhibitions on the island's African heritage, plantation history, and Bajan cultural identity — housed in a former colonial military prison, now a UNESCO World Heritage Site precinct.
Barbados Independent Film Festival — spring screeningsFilm
April–May 2026 — Bridgetown
BIFF spring screenings celebrate Caribbean and Bajan cinema alongside international films — a growing platform for Caribbean storytellers rooted in Bridgetown's vibrant cultural scene.
Caribbean Studies spring forum — University of the West Indies, Cave HillConference
April–May 2026 — UWI Cave Hill, Barbados
UWI Cave Hill hosts spring academic and public forums on Caribbean culture, history, and development — open to the Barbadian public and diaspora, cementing Barbados' role as a regional centre of Caribbean intellectual life.
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Cuba (Havana)
Havana Jazz Plaza · May Day · Afro-Cuban cultural spring
Caribbean
Havana Jazz Plaza Festival — spring editionMusic
April–May 2026 — Havana
One of Latin America's premier jazz festivals, celebrating the Afro-Cuban roots of jazz through performances at Havana's iconic venues — featuring Cuban jazz masters, international collaborations, and free outdoor concerts in the city's historic plazas.
Havana International Rumba FestivalDance
April–May 2026 — Havana
A celebration of Cuban rumba — a UNESCO-listed Afro-Cuban performance tradition rooted in the music, dance, and ritual of Cuba's African descendants — with performances at the Callejón de Hamel and community spaces across Havana.
Havana Biennial — spring art programmingExhibition
April–May 2026 — Havana
Havana's internationally celebrated contemporary art biennial features Afro-Cuban artists alongside Caribbean and global voices — transforming the city's streets, galleries, and historic spaces into one of the world's most extraordinary art events.
May Day — International Workers’ Day celebrations, HavanaFestival
May 1, 2026 — Plaza de la Revolución, Havana
Havana's major May Day gathering at Plaza de la Revolución brings together hundreds of thousands in a uniquely Cuban cultural celebration — with music, dance, and community programming reflecting the island's Afro-Caribbean heritage.
Cubadisco — International Recording Industry EventMusic✓ confirmed
May 2026 — Havana
Cuba's annual music industry festival celebrating Cuban recorded music — salsa, son, timba, Afro-Cuban, and bolero — with concerts, awards, and professional showcases connecting Cuba's extraordinary music scene with global audiences.
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Dominican Republic (Santo Domingo)
Merengue & Bachata · Afro-Dominican cultural spring
Caribbean
Festival de Merengue & Ritmos Caribeños — spring editionMusic
April–May 2026 — Santo Domingo Malecón
Santo Domingo's Malecón hosts spring merengue and Caribbean rhythms festivals — celebrating the African roots of merengue, bachata, and palo alongside live performances from the Dominican Republic's extraordinary music culture.
Festival de Bachata — Afro-Dominican dance celebrationDance
April–May 2026 — Santiago & Santo Domingo
A celebration of bachata — the UNESCO-listed guitar music born in the Dominican countryside with deep African roots — featuring workshops, live performances, and social dance events across the island's cultural capitals.
Bienal Nacional de Artes Visuales — Dominican art springExhibition
April–May 2026 — Santo Domingo
The Dominican Republic's National Visual Arts Biennial showcases contemporary Dominican and Caribbean art — with exhibitions at the Museo de Arte Moderno celebrating Afro-Dominican, Taíno, and Caribbean artistic heritage.
Carnaval Nacional — spring cultural eventsCarnival
April 2026 — Santo Domingo & La Vega
Following the Dominican Republic's world-famous February carnival, spring cultural events in La Vega and Santo Domingo continue celebrating the island's extraordinary carnival tradition — masks, diablos cojuelos, and Afro-Dominican cultural expression.
Dominican Global Film Festival — spring screeningsFilm
April–May 2026 — Santo Domingo
A growing platform for Dominican and Caribbean cinema, bringing films from the diaspora and the island together in Santo Domingo — celebrating Dominican storytelling and Afro-Caribbean screen culture.
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Grenada
Spice Mas build-up · Easter Regatta · Spice Isle cultural spring
Caribbean
Grenada Easter Regatta — Sailing & Culture FestivalFestival✓ confirmed
April 2026 — Le Phare Bleu Marina, Grenada
A beloved Easter sailing festival in Grenada's stunning southern waters — combining competitive racing, beach parties, Caribbean food, and soca music celebrating the Spice Isle's extraordinary sailing culture and community spirit.
Spice Mas — spring mas workshops & early fetesCarnival
April–May 2026 (Main Spice Mas: August)
Grenada's Spice Mas carnival — famous for its Jab Jab mud mas, Old Mas satire, and vibrant pretty mas — begins spring community preparation workshops, soca competitions, and cultural events ahead of August's main festival.
Grenada Music Festival — spring concertsMusic
April–May 2026 — St. George's, Grenada
Grenada's spring music season brings soca, reggae, calypso, and Afro-Caribbean performances to the island's picturesque capital — reflecting the Spice Isle's deep musical culture rooted in its African heritage.
Grenada Arts & Craft Festival — spring editionCultural
April–May 2026 — St. George's
A celebration of Grenadian craft traditions — including nutmeg art, hand-woven baskets, and Afro-Caribbean craft heritage — bringing together artisans from across the Tri-Island State of Grenada, Carriacou, and Petite Martinique.
Carriacou Maroon & String Band Music FestivalConference
April 2026 — Carriacou, Grenada
Carriacou's extraordinary Maroon Festival celebrates the island's unique African heritage — one of the purest surviving African cultural traditions in the Caribbean — with string band music, drumming, and ancestral ceremonies.
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Haiti (Port-au-Prince)
Flag Day — May 18 · Haitian Heritage Month · Vodou arts
Caribbean
Haitian Flag Day — May 18 National celebrationsFestival✓ confirmed
Monday, May 18, 2026 — Port-au-Prince & nationwide
Haiti's most important national holiday — marking the creation of the Haitian flag in 1803 — celebrated with parades, concerts, cultural performances, and community events across Haiti and in Haitian diaspora communities worldwide.
Haitian Kompas & Racine music spring seasonMusic
April–May 2026 — Port-au-Prince
Haiti's vibrant music scene — from kompas (konpa) dance music to racine (roots) music drawing on Vodou rhythms — hosts spring concerts and performances celebrating the extraordinary cultural resilience of the Haitian people.
Centre d'Art — Haitian art spring exhibitionsExhibition
April–May 2026 — Port-au-Prince
Haiti's legendary Centre d'Art presents spring programming celebrating Haitian visual art — naïf painting, Vodou flags (drapo), ironwork sculpture, and contemporary art rooted in Haiti's extraordinarily rich African-Caribbean cultural heritage.
Haitian Rara Festival — spring processional celebrationsDance
April 2026 (Easter season) — Haiti
Rara — Haiti's extraordinary street processional tradition rooted in Vodou and African heritage — fills Haiti's roads during the Easter season with bamboo trumpets, drums, and community celebration in one of the Caribbean's most unique cultural spectacles.
Haitian Studies Association — spring academic programmingConference
April–May 2026
The Haitian Studies Association hosts spring programming connecting scholars, community leaders, and cultural figures in Haiti and the diaspora — celebrating Haitian intellectual life and cultural preservation during Haitian Heritage Month (May).
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Jamaica (Kingston)
Jamaica Jazz & Blues · Calabash Lit Fest · Rebel Salute homeland
Caribbean
Jamaica Music Conference — spring industry forumMusic
April–May 2026 — Kingston
Jamaica's music industry gathering celebrating the global legacy of reggae, dancehall, ska, rocksteady, and dub — panels, showcases, and networking connecting Jamaica's extraordinary musical ecosystem with global partners and the diaspora.
Calabash International Literary FestivalFestival✓ confirmed
May 2026 — Treasure Beach, St. Elizabeth, Jamaica
One of the Caribbean's most celebrated literary festivals — held under the stars at Treasure Beach — gathering Caribbean, African, and diaspora writers for three days of readings, discussions, and cultural celebration in one of Jamaica's most beautiful settings.
Easter Soca & Reggae fetes — Kingston & Montego BayMusic
April 2026 (Easter weekend) — Kingston & Montego Bay
Jamaica's Easter weekend hosts major reggae and soca concerts, beach parties, and cultural events across Kingston and Montego Bay — one of the island's most active entertainment seasons drawing the Caribbean diaspora home.
National Gallery of Jamaica — spring exhibitionsExhibition
April–May 2026 — Kingston
The National Gallery of Jamaica presents spring programming celebrating Jamaican visual art from the colonial era to contemporary masters — including Intuitive art, Afro-Jamaican cultural works, and internationally acclaimed modern Jamaican artists.
Jamaica Carnival — Road March & fetesCarnival✓ confirmed
April 26, 2026 — Kingston, Jamaica
Jamaica Carnival's Road March brings soca, costume bands, and Caribbean carnival culture to Kingston's streets — a growing festival celebrating the cross-Caribbean connections between Jamaican culture and the wider Caribbean carnival tradition.
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Martinique & Guadeloupe
French Caribbean overseas territories — Creole culture, zouk & gwoka
Caribbean
Festival de Biguine — Martinique spring music seasonMusic
April–May 2026 — Fort-de-France, Martinique
Martinique celebrates biguine — the Afro-Creole music born in Martinique's African community and celebrated as a cornerstone of French Caribbean culture — with spring concerts, jazz fusions, and cultural events in Fort-de-France.
Gwoka Festival — Guadeloupe spring cultural celebrationsDance
April–May 2026 — Pointe-à-Pitre, Guadeloupe
Gwoka — Guadeloupe's UNESCO-listed African-rooted drum music and dance tradition — is celebrated through spring festivals and cultural events across Guadeloupe, honouring one of the Caribbean's most powerful living African cultural traditions.
Martinique Book Fair — Créolité & Caribbean literatureLiterary
April–May 2026 — Fort-de-France, Martinique
Martinique's literary spring celebrates the Créolité movement — born in the works of Edouard Glissant, Patrick Chamoiseau, and Raphaël Confiant — with readings, panels, and publisher showcases honouring francophone Caribbean literature.
Post-Carnival Creole cultural programming — MartiniqueCarnival
April–May 2026 — Martinique
Following Martinique's world-famous pre-Lenten carnival, spring Creole cultural events continue celebrating the island's African-European-Caribbean heritage through music, art, and community festivals leading to the summer season.
Martinique International Film Festival — spring screeningsFilm
April–May 2026 — Fort-de-France
Martinique's film festival celebrates Afro-Caribbean and francophone cinema with screenings of Caribbean, African, and international films — a major platform for French Caribbean storytelling and Créole cultural expression.
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Puerto Rico (San Juan)
Casals Festival · Sanse · Puerto Rican bomba & plena spring
Caribbean
Festival Casals — Classical & Afro-Puerto Rican MusicMusic✓ confirmed
April–May 2026 — Centro de Bellas Artes, San Juan
Puerto Rico's premier classical music festival — founded by Pablo Casals in 1957 — celebrates the island's diverse musical heritage including Afro-Puerto Rican traditions of bomba and plena alongside world-class classical performances in San Juan.
Fiestas de la Calle San Sebastián — spring cultural follow-upCarnival
Spring 2026 — Old San Juan
Following January's famous Fiestas de San Sebastián, Old San Juan hosts spring cultural follow-up events celebrating Puerto Rican Afro-Caribbean heritage — bomba, plena, and vejigante mask traditions in the island's historic colonial quarter.
Bomba & Plena spring festival — Afro-Puerto Rican heritageDance
April–May 2026 — Ponce & Loíza, Puerto Rico
Ponce and Loíza — the spiritual homes of Puerto Rican Afro-Caribbean heritage — host spring festivals celebrating bomba and plena, the island's UNESCO-recognized African-rooted music and dance traditions.
San Juan International Film Festival — spring Caribbean cinemaFilm
April–May 2026 — San Juan
Puerto Rico's major film festival presents spring Caribbean and Latino cinema — a significant platform for Afro-Puerto Rican, Caribbean diaspora, and Latin American storytelling in one of the Caribbean's most vibrant cultural capitals.
Museo de Arte de Puerto Rico — Afro-Puerto Rican spring exhibitionsExhibition
Spring 2026 — San Juan
Puerto Rico's premier art museum presents spring programming celebrating Afro-Puerto Rican visual art, the taíno-African-Spanish heritage of the island, and contemporary Puerto Rican artists working in the Caribbean and diaspora traditions.
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St. Kitts & Nevis
St. Kitts Music Festival build-up · Culturama preparations
Caribbean
St. Kitts Music Festival — spring concert previewsMusic
April–May 2026 (Main festival: June) — Basseterre
St. Kitts Music Festival — one of the Caribbean's most acclaimed international music events — begins spring preview concerts and artist announcements for its June main stage, drawing Caribbean and international audiences to Basseterre.
Culturama — Nevis spring preparation eventsCarnival
April–May 2026 (Main Culturama: July–August) — Nevis
Nevis's beloved Culturama festival begins spring preparation with pageant competitions, cultural performances, and community events celebrating the small island's extraordinary Afro-Caribbean cultural heritage and traditions.
St. Kitts Heritage & Arts spring programmingCultural
April–May 2026 — Basseterre & Charlestown
St. Kitts and Nevis cultural organisations host spring exhibitions and heritage programming celebrating the twin-island federation's African-Caribbean identity — from Brimstone Hill Fortress heritage to contemporary Kittitian and Nevisian art.
St. Kitts & Nevis Triathlon & Heritage FestivalFestival
April–May 2026 — St. Kitts
A unique twin event combining athletic competition with Kittitian cultural celebration — food, music, and community programming honouring the island's heritage in one of the Eastern Caribbean's most picturesque settings.
Masquerade & cultural dance workshops — St. Kitts springDance
April–May 2026 — St. Kitts
St. Kitts hosts spring workshops preserving Masquerade — the island's unique African-rooted street performance tradition with elaborate costumes, fife-and-drum music, and ancestral dance — one of the Caribbean's most distinctive living cultural heritages.
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Saint Lucia
Saint Lucia Jazz & Arts Festival — May · Creole heritage spring
Caribbean
Saint Lucia Jazz & Arts FestivalMusic✓ confirmed
May 2026 — Pigeon Island National Landmark, Saint Lucia
One of the Caribbean's most celebrated jazz festivals — set against the dramatic backdrop of Pigeon Island and the Pitons — drawing world-class jazz, R&B, soca, and Caribbean artists for a week of concerts celebrating the African and Caribbean roots of jazz.
Saint Lucia Carnival — spring fetes & mas preparationCarnival
April–May 2026 (Main Carnival: July) — Castries
Saint Lucia's vibrant carnival begins its spring season with early fetes, soca competitions, and mas workshops — building toward one of the Eastern Caribbean's most energetic summer carnivals in Castries.
Saint Lucia Heritage & Creole cultural springCultural
April–May 2026 — Castries & Soufrière
Saint Lucia's Kwéyòl (Creole) cultural organisations host spring programming celebrating the island's unique Afro-Creole heritage — rooted in the confluence of African, French, and Caribbean traditions that define Saint Lucian identity.
Saint Lucia Film Festival — Caribbean cinema spring screeningsFilm
April–May 2026 — Castries
Saint Lucia's film festival celebrates Caribbean and Eastern Caribbean cinema — a platform for emerging Lucian filmmakers and regional storytellers honoring the island's literary tradition, which produced Nobel Laureate Derek Walcott.
La Rose & La Marguerite flower festival societies — spring eventsDance
April–May 2026 — Saint Lucia
Saint Lucia's unique La Rose and La Marguerite societies — African-rooted cultural organizations with roots in plantation-era resistance — hold spring community events ahead of their major August festivals, preserving one of the Caribbean's most distinctive living traditions.
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Trinidad & Tobago
Birthplace of soca & steelpan · Tobago Jazz Experience · post-Carnival season
Caribbean
Tobago Jazz ExperienceMusic✓ confirmed
April 2026 — Tobago
One of the Caribbean's finest jazz festivals — set on Tobago's idyllic shores — celebrating the African and Caribbean roots of jazz with international and Caribbean artists performing at ocean-side stages. A highlight of the regional spring calendar.
Steelpan music — spring pan yard season, TrinidadMusic
April–May 2026 — Port of Spain & nationwide
Trinidad's pan yards — community steelband practice grounds — host spring concerts and public performances celebrating the steelpan, the only acoustic instrument invented in the 20th century, born from the ingenuity of Trinidad's Afro-Caribbean community.
National Museum of Trinidad — post-Carnival cultural exhibitionsExhibition
April–May 2026 — Port of Spain
The National Museum and Art Gallery of Trinidad & Tobago presents post-Carnival exhibitions celebrating the island's mas-making heritage, African-Indian-European Creole culture, and the extraordinary artistic traditions of steelband and calypso.
Tobago Heritage Festival — spring community eventsFestival
April–May 2026 — Tobago
Tobago's Heritage Festival begins spring community preparation celebrating the smaller island's distinct African-rooted cultural identity — reel dancing, speech band, the wedding of the year tradition — one of the Caribbean's most authentic cultural heritage events.
Trinidad & Tobago Chutney Soca Monarch — spring eventsDance
April–May 2026 — Trinidad
Spring cultural events celebrating chutney soca — Trinidad's unique fusion of Indo-Caribbean and Afro-Caribbean musical traditions — reflect the extraordinary cultural hybridity of T&T's multi-ethnic society rooted in African and Indian heritage.
Caribbean, African & Latin American Cultural Events — April 1–June 1, 2026
53 cities • 4 continents • 250+ events • 13 Caribbean island territories • Always verify dates with official event websites before traveling.
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