There’s always something going on in St Lucia and in 2019 the island is offering tourists and locals its usual mix of exhilarating things to do.

Yello has picked out five exceptional experiences you’ll want to include in your 2019 calendar.

22nd February 2019 – Independence Day

A national holiday on the island, Independence Day is celebrated island-wide with various events including military parades, the Miss Independence Beauty Pageant, and the Prime Minister’s Grand Independence Ball. More details will be released nearer the date so be sure to come back to Find Yello for further information.

5th-12th May – St Lucia Jazz Festival

St Lucia’s much-anticipated annual jazz festival takes place from 5th – 12th May 2019. This action-packed celebration, which is a mix of day and night, free and paying concerts, is a week-long collection of music and art events in all parts of the country at intimate venues and luxurious resorts. Book early to avoid disappointment!

Culminating 12th-16th July – St Lucia Carnival

Carnival season in St Lucia comes to a fitting close from Friday 12th until Tuesday 16th July with Soca and Calypso competitions, fetes and a two-day street parade including a Road March competition. St Lucia’s carnival attracts around 5,000 revellers and 30,000 spectators from all over the world who fly in to soak up the infectious Caribbean rhythms.

August – Chocolate Heritage Month  

If you are unaware of St Lucia’s long-established relationship with chocolate and cacao, August is the perfect time to visit. Chocolate lovers get the chance to indulge in several chocolate-inspired activities at various hotels and resorts across the island; tour a cacao plantation; and learn all about the country’s key role in developing the billion-dollar chocolate industry.

19th-22nd September – St Lucia Food and Rum

St Lucia’s Food and Rum Festival ran in January last year after being absent from the calendar of events since 2006. In 2018, it was headlined by critically-acclaimed celebrity chef Marcus Samuelsson, who’s head chef of Red Rooster in Harlem, New York. Other features of the event included food demonstrations, rum tasting, wine and community culinary experiences. (www.speedclean.com)

This year the festival has been moved to September, but it’s still expected to be the perfect showcase for St Lucia’s diverse and unique food and drink.

Sources: St Lucia.org / Just St Lucia / Carnival Hunters