Nothing much compares to listening to live music especially when it’s taking place on a captivating Caribbean island.

Every year, several live music events are held at stunning venues around the region featuring a range of artists and genres to suit every taste.

If you are a music buff, we’ve found five annual music festivals in the Caribbean that are not to be missed.

Barbados Reggae Festival

The Barbados Reggae Festival usually takes place at the end of April. This event attracts reggae enthusiasts from all over the world and features four shows at various venues, including Farley Hill and Kensington Oval, over one weekend. In previous years, performers at the main Reggae on the Hill event have included Buju Banton, Wayne Wonder, Spragga Benz, and Barbadian star Buggy Nhakente.

St Lucia Jazz and Arts Festival

Ever since it was first staged in 1992, the St Lucia Jazz and Arts Festival has established a reputation for putting on an impressive show. Held every year in May, the week-long festival, which is a mix of day and night, free and paying concerts, features local, regional, and international artists performing jazz and other genres at intimate venues and luxurious resorts all around the island.

St Kitts Music Festival

Every June, St Kitts welcomes a top class regional and international artists for a memorable weekend of music and entertainment. The event started out in 1996 as the Shak Shak Festival and has since grown into an annual event that attracts hundreds of soca, dancehall, reggae, lovers rock, and R&B music fans.

Reggae Sumfest

Reggae Sumfest started in 1993 and is now the biggest music festival in Jamaica. The week-long event is held every year in the middle of July at various venues in Montego Bay and features some of the best reggae, dancehall, and international artists in the world. Some of the events held during Sumfest include a family fun day, a free street dance, and an ‘All White’ party.

World Creole Music Festival

Dominica’s eagerly awaited annual festival is staged over three nights every October at Windsor Park Sports Stadium. This event is known for showcasing talent from across the Caribbean, French Antilles, Africa, and North America with various music genres sharing the spotlight such as Cadence-lypso, Afrobeat, Calypso, Reggae, Soukous, Kompa, and Zouk.

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