Carriacou Parang Festival

The longstanding festival in Carriacou which started in 1977 features elements of traditional Christmas caroling blended with the humorous storytelling of the year’s events through song. A staple of this festival is the competition in which parang bands representing the various villages in Carriacou compete for prizes and bragging rights. The bands first sing traditional Christmas carols called a ‘test piece’ then increase the tempo for the ‘Melee’ parang section in which the major social happenings throughout the year are recounted in a hilarious manner.

Each group is dressed in colorful and creative outfits – showcasing the festive season while using instruments such as the bass drum, guitar, violin, Cuatro, maracas (shack-shack), mandolin, saxophone and tambourine to boost their performance. And you will not be left on the sidelines as patrons are invited to sing along with the harmonious melodies. The experience is further enriched with African Big Drum, Quadrille Dancing, Shakespeare Mas and other elements. This festival is sure to leave you feeling happy and invigorated.