The Caribbean is the place to be this month as there are several carnival festivals taking place. Among them, Trinidad and Tobago Carnival is known to be one of the region’s most wonderful spectacles! Each year, international and regional visitors, returnees, and locals come together to participate in this grand fete.  

Since the November 2022 launch of the 2023 Trinidad and Tobago Carnival, the twin islands have been practically pulsating with anticipation for what has been termed a marathon of exciting events. With breakfast limes, beach limes, parties, concerts, j’ouvert, night mas and more to enjoy, the marathon connotation is apt. The idea is for you to pace yourself as you work through the long list of highly energetic activities.

As is customary, this year’s schedule of events will feature the ever-popular soca, calypso, panorama and kings and queens’ competitions. Other activities such as stick fighting, Canboulay and the traditional carnival characters parade will also take place, especially as they continue to garner more interest each year.

If you want to be in-the-know about this year’s carnival activities then read on. In this article, we’re listing the main events that are taking place during February. 

Here is the National Carnival Commission’s schedule of events for Trinidad and Tobago Carnival 2023.

Friday 3 February

• National Stick fighting Preliminaries

Sunday 5 February

• National Panorama Semi-finals

Monday 6 February

• National Extempo Preliminaries

Thursday 9 February

• Kings & Queens Preliminaries

Friday 10 February

• National Stick fighting Semi-finals

Saturday 1 February

• Red Cross Junior Carnival

Sunday 12 February

• Junior Kings, Queens & Individual Preliminaries

• National Panorama Finals

Monday 13 February

• National Junior Calypso Monarch Final

Tuesday 14 February

• Rapso Explosion and Traditional Individuals

Wednesday 15 February

• Senior Kings & Queens Semi-finals

• Junior Kings and Queens Finals

• National Stick fighting Finals

• Kaisorama – Extempo Champion Finals.

Thursday 16 February

• Individual Conventional

• National Calypso Monarch Finals

Friday 17 February

• Re-enactment of Canboulay Riots

• Dragon Festival

• Traditional Carnival Characters Parade

• International Soca Monarch Finals

Saturday 18 February

• Junior Parade of the Bands

• National Panorama Finals – Large Bands

Sunday 19 February

• Dimanche Gras

• Senior Kings & Queens Finals

Monday 20 February

• J’ouvert

• Monday Traditional Parade

• Senior Parade of Bands

• Brass Bacchanal

Tuesday 21 February

• Senior Parade of Bands

• Pan on the Road, Mas & Las Lap

 Saturday 25 February

• Carnival Lagniappe

For more information on Trinidad and Tobago Carnival 2023, visit the NCC website.