About Trinidad and Tobago Carnival
Trinidad and Tobago Carnival is one of the world's greatest street festivals, often called "the Greatest Show on Earth" and the cultural template for Caribbean carnivals everywhere. It is the birthplace of soca music, calypso and the steelpan — the only acoustic instrument invented in the 20th century — and a dazzling display of "mas" (masquerade), where bands of thousands parade in feathered, beaded and bejewelled costumes through the streets of Port of Spain.
The festival explodes across two days but builds for weeks with fetes, panyard rehearsals and competitions. It opens before dawn on Carnival Monday with J'ouvert, a joyous mess of mud, paint and oil, before the full costumed parades take over for Carnival Monday and Tuesday. Calypso and soca monarch contests and the Panorama steelband championship crown the season, blending African and French-Creole heritage into a uniquely Trinidadian celebration.
Trinidad Carnival is held on the Monday and Tuesday before Ash Wednesday, so its dates shift each year with the Christian calendar of Lent — falling in February or early March. In 2027 Carnival Monday and Tuesday land on February 8 and 9. Add Trinidad Carnival to your own page and the countdown above will show exactly how long until the mas bands hit the road.
Upcoming dates
| 2027 | Monday, February 8, 2027next |
| 2028 | Monday, February 28, 2028 |
| 2029 | Monday, February 12, 2029 |
FAQ
When is Trinidad Carnival?
It takes place on the Monday and Tuesday before Ash Wednesday each year, so the dates move with Lent. In 2027 that is February 8 and 9. The countdown above shows the time remaining.
Why is Trinidad Carnival important?
It is the birthplace of soca, calypso and the steelpan, and the most influential Caribbean carnival, blending the island's African and French-Creole heritage into a national celebration.
How is Trinidad Carnival celebrated?
With the pre-dawn J'ouvert mud-and-paint jump-up, two days of costumed mas parades, soca and calypso music, and the Panorama steelband competition.
What is J'ouvert?
J'ouvert is the carnival's pre-dawn opening on Carnival Monday, when revellers cover themselves and each other in mud, paint and oil while dancing through the streets.