In April, as spring emerges, festival season also kicks off, bringing a plethora of top music and culture festivals to enjoy. From Coachella to the New Orleans Jazz Festival, the opportunities for outdoor gatherings seem endless. However, if you’re seeking an international festival experience, look no further than Jamaica Carnival.
Held in Kingston from the first to the second week of April, Jamaica Carnival remains a top cultural extravaganza attracting revelers worldwide. Featuring vibrant breakfast parties, night fetes, dawn j’ouverts, and midday road marches, it’s an annual event that continues to evolve. To navigate the plethora of activities, we’ve compiled a comprehensive Jamaica Carnival guide.
During your time in Jamaica, it’s crucial to make the most of your experience. “I would tell anybody coming to take advantage of Jamaica,” says Kibwe McGann, director of GenXs, an in-demand carnival band renowned for hosting extravagant events. GenXs curates the unforgettable road march experience on April 7, offering carnival attendees costumes, meals, beverages, entertainment, and security. Additionally, GenXs organizes an “Immortals J’ouvert” early on Saturday, April 6, as well as “XS Street,” a post-carnival road march party. Other events hosted by GenXs include “Ocean X,” the Catamaran beach fete, and “XS Sunset,“ the finale carnival fete on Monday, April 8.
“For those coming to Jamaica for carnival in Kingston, our capital city is also known as the cultural capital of the Caribbean, and for good reason,” explains Donovan White, Jamaica’s director of tourism. “Visitors can check out Devon House, which was the home of Jamaica’s first Black millionaire. Our popular Devon House I-Scream serves exotic flavors such as Devon Stout and Guava ice cream along with others. For Easter, they have created a new flavor — Bun and Cheese. Check out the street art murals by local artists along the Art Walk…
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