The main festival in Barbados is the summertime Crop Over, which reaches its climax on Kadooment Day when the festival monarchs are crowned. This is a great time to catch some of the island's famous calypso. There are plenty of other events to distract you from the beach as well. The tourist boards have full details.

The main public holidays celebrated throughout the Caribbean, during which virtually all shops and offices close, are:

January 1 New Year's Day

Good Friday

Easter Monday

May 1 Labour Day

Whit Monday

Dec 25 Christmas Day

Dec 26 Boxing Day

Barbados also celebrates Errol Barrow Day (January 21), National Heroes Day (April 28), Labour Day (May 1), Emancipation Day (August 1), Kadooment Day (first Mon in Aug) and Independence Day (November 30)