Caribbean residents (and visitors) love to party, so you can be assured that no matter when you visit there will be some sort of festival, concert, regatta, or another excuse to celebrate going on. Here's my picks for the best events held every November on islands across the Caribbean.
Pirates Week, Cayman Islands
© Don McDougall
Aaarrrghhh! November be the time to strap on yer (plastic) sword and set your sails for the Cayman Islands. Pirates Week -- actually 11 days long -- is fun for all ages, highlighted by fireworks, a pirate invasion of George Town by sea, a cardboard boat race, street parties and parades, and more. This is when the normally buttoned-down Caymans really let loose. Best of all, most of the events are free.
Tranquility Jazz Festival, Anguilla
Four-day festival attracts regional and international jazz musicians, who perform at venues in Sandy Ground as well as at the Cuisinart resort and the Temenos Golf Club, which now has a performance stage.Antigua and Barbuda International Literary Festival
First held in 2006, this event brings together writers, editors and publicists from the Caribbean and around the world for readings, workshops, and more. Held at the Jolly Beach Resort.Aruba Heineken Catamaran Regatta
The Caribbean is home to many regattas: this one focuses on catamarans and draws racers from all over the world. Held annually since 1980, the regatta continues over several weekends and is based at the Holiday Inn on Palm Beach, which is also where the races are held.World Rugby Classic, Bermuda
© Carole Havercroft
Get down and dirty with the world's most brutal (and some would say, beautiful) sport during the World Rugby Classic, held for the past two decades in Bermuda, with national pride on the line. Some of the world's greatest international rugby players take part. Held at Bermuda's National Sports Centre.
Kingston Restaurant Week, Jamaica
One week each November, many of Kingston's top restaurants offer deep discounts to introduce their offerings to tourists and locals alike. Fine dining at a fraction of the usual cost lures many to the Jamaican capital.McLean's Town Conch Cracking Festival, Grand Bahama Island, The Bahamas
This wonderfully authentic (and delicious) local events celebrates the flavor of the conch. Filled with great food, traditional games, and of course the contest to determine the title of "Best Conch Cracker."Paradise Jam, St. Thomas, U.S.V.I.
Each November, eight NCAA Division I men's and women's basketball teams meet in St. Thomas for the annual Paradise Jam, a week-long tournament at the University of the Virgin Islands that represents a competitive early-season tuneup for some of the nation's top collegiate teams.Divali (Diwali) in Trinidad
© Trinidad Development Co.
About 40 percent of Trinidad's population traces their heritage to India, making the annual Hindu festival of lights, Divali, one of the island's biggest events. And since Trinis of all ethnic stripes love a party, everyone joins in the fun. The festival traditionally culminates with the lighting of small clay lamps on the shortest day of the year, but in Trinidad there are nine days of partying beforehand. The town of Chaguanas is home to the Divali Nagar, or village of lights. Highlights include cultural performances, worship of Mother Lakshmi, the goddess of wealth, a feast of Indian delicacies, and fireworks.
