The Caribbean destination known as Turks and Caicos is a British Overseas Territory and features the large Caicos Islands and smaller Turks Islands. The more famous Caicos islands feature Providenciales, North Caicos, Middle Caicos, and East Caicos, as well as small South Caicos (among other islands). There are also the Turks Islands that include Grand Turk.
Clearly, there will always be a lot going on over so many different spaces, and if you are planning a holiday to the Caribbean in the coming year, you’ll want to figure out the many Turks and Caicos events coinciding with your visit.
What is Happening in Turks and Caicos This Year?
It would be impossible to list every single one of the many Turks and Caicos events worthy of experiencing in the coming season, but we can offer you a summary of some of the most popular events that locals and travelers attend.
Winter & Spring
Maskanoo is the day after Christmas and celebrates the island heritage and history. It honors the island’s West African background and features a costume ball, fireworks, food, music, and loads of fun.
A few days later, Junkanoo occurs and coincides with New Year’s Eve celebrations. It includes lots of costumes and dancing until dawn. It is an event that dates to the 1500s when slaves had their annual day off after Christmas and is still marked with lots of West African themed activities and events.
BRT weekend in 2019 and 2020 were more popular than ever. This is a four-day Caribbean music festival held every January and which is described as the ultimate day party. It features multiple locations, entertainers from around the world, and at least six separate events that focus on food, drink, and amazing music in the beauty of Turks & Caicos.
There are lots of Caribbean events from February 2019 and 2020 that you would want to consider attending, and those in Turks and Caicos in February include an annual chocolate lover’s event. One of the main at the Palms, offering lots of delicious sweets. There is an annual sailboat race in February of each year, known as the Valentine’s Day Cup. This coincides with the island’s Model Sailboat Races that run the same day.
Turks and Caicos in March may see the first signs of spring, and with them is the Wine Cellar Fishing and Golf Tournament. This is an annual event on Providenciales’ Grace Bay and it has prizes of more than $100k to the winners.
Summer
The Turks and Caicos events speed up as the temperatures rise and the weather improves. For example, one of the most popular of the many annual Turks and Caicos events is the Annual Kite Flying contest that happens on the Monday after Easter. It also takes place on Providenciales but is hosted on Governor’s Beach.
The South Caicos Regatta was a 2019 event attended by many and is due to be just as popular in the coming years. It is a party and boat race that recognizes a 1966 visit by Queen Elizabeth to the islands and began the year after she made that historic stop. It is a race around the islands and runs for four days, including lots of events, food, and music.
Race for the Conch is another annual event that is held in Grace Bay and is called one of the world’s most beautiful swimming events because of the scenery and the waters.
Autumn
There are many Turks and Caicos events in the fall, too, including the famous fish fry in Turks and Caicos. This happens throughout October and occurs every Thursday in the Bight Children’s Park. It offers everything from tasty food and drink to arts and crafts.
If you are into food, though, it is the Caribbean Food and Wine Festival each November that is an essential activity to attend. It occurs over three days and includes a food fair, lots of gourmet meals in local restaurants, and much more.
November also sees the annual Conch Festival in downtown Turks and Caicos in the heart of Providenciales. It includes lots of restaurant specials and events all focused on conch dishes. There is a Turks and Caicos Unity Festival in November, also in Providenciales.
Choosing Turks and Caicos
With so many fun, unique and even culturally fascinating activities occurring in Turks and Caicos, or St Turks and Caicos (as some call it), it makes it a perfect choice for your upcoming travel plans.
And it is not just the amazing events that make it a good choice for a holiday, there are also the many luxury rentals available to serve as the ultimate accommodation. They can be found on Providenciales, but also on the other islands, and could provide you with a home away from home while enjoying some of the annual events listed here.
In fact, some are ideal for observing activities like the regattas and boat races or attending the downtown Turks and Caicos events.
With premium amenities that include private pools, alfresco living and dining spaces, and even some with beachfront locations, they are destinations in their own right.
Not sure if you want to limit your exploration of the Caribbean to a single destination? You can easily book a villa for one of the events above, and find equally enjoyable villas and accommodations on other islands. For example, you might want to pay a visit to Barbados and its Platinum Coast area for some amazing days at the beach. You could opt for the charms of cosmopolitan St. Barts with its French-influenced culture and cuisine, shopping, and quaint towns.
The Caribbean is a wonderful spot for your next holiday, and while you can limit yourself to Turks and Caicos and its events, you can also do some island hopping and see how different and appealing every island can be. Make this the year you do some explorations in the region, attend a few of the Turks and Caicos events, and find out why so many people plan their travels around this region and its many festivals and celebrations.