Easter in Cayman
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Cayman Carnival Batabano
Batabano is one of the biggest annual events in the Cayman Islands and is a Mardi Gras-like event featuring soca music, colourful costumes, dancing and parade.
Batabano's signature Soca music (a type of calypso music with elements of soul that often features lyrics about life or politics), is the driving force behind the carnival festivities which also features calypso bands, colourful costumes, dancing and a float parade.
Batabano - Cayman Carnival 2025 Dates
Adult Parade: TBD May 2025
Junior Parade: TBD April/May 2025
History
Launched in 1983 by the Rotary Club of Grand Cayman, Cayman Carnival Batabano is held annually during the first week of May and is a vibrant highlight in the Island’s entertainment calendar.
The festival’s name, Batabano, is a salute to Cayman’s turtling heritage as the word batabano refers to the tracks left in the sand by sea turtles as they crawl onto the beach to nest. Finding these tracks was – and still is – a reason to celebrate!
2024 Batabano Carnival
Adult Parade - Saturday 4th May 2024
The streets of Cayman came alive with a kaleidoscope of music, dance and pageantry. Onlookers found a good vantage spot along the route and watched as thousands of energetic revelers danced through the streets in spectacular costumes. Spectators were enthralled by stilt walkers, acrobats and limbo dancers, all grooving to the beat of live soca music.
The Adult Street Parade started a little bit later than planned in 2024 due to the weather, but as usual, it majestically and rhythmically made its way from Public Beach and ended up on George Town's historic waterfront. The
excitement continued with the famous Batabano Food Festival on Cardinal
Avenue. At 6pm, the now traditional street dance known as Las'
Lap took place featuring
local and international DJ's performing until midnight.
2024 Batabano Junior Parade - Postponed
It is not yet clear whether this year's Junior Batabano road parade will take place.
Cayman Carnival Junior Batabano is a family-friendly festival for the islands’ youth. Introduced in 2002, this colourful cultural showcase marks its anniversary this year! Junior Carnival has grown from a small program that preceded the adult parade to its very own one-day event.
The children will parade into George Town in a mass of colour, music and creativity. After the parade, the fun continues with face painting, mask decorating, snow cones and many family fun activities.
The goal of Junior Carnival Batabano is to create a safe, fun and creative environment for youth to play mas (masquerade) and to teach the art of costume making for generations to come.
Cayman Carnival 2019
