Guyana carnival is the newest edition to the carnival family in the Caribbean. Starting in 2018 the festival is in its early stages of development. However, it already shows promise to become one of the best carnivals in the Caribbean. The carnival coincides with Guyana’s Independence Day. When I first heard of the carnival I got it confused with Mashromani. Mashromani is the Guyanese Republic Day held February 23 rd. However, these two are completely different festivals. This article will provide a guide for taking part in Guyana Carnival 2025.

Guyana Carnival Dates

Guyana Carnival in 2025 will take place from May 21 to May 26, 2025

Guyana Carnival History

Guyana carnival sometimes called Guyana Independence Carnival originated in 2016. It came out of Guyana’s 50th Independence celebrations. However, it had its official launch in 2018. Guyana carnival is a privately owned festival held annually in Georgetown Guyana.

It is a joint venture between the government and leading entertainment groups. The carnival consists of concerts, parties, J’ouvert and carnival costume parades.  The festival mixes Guyanese culture and music with the traditional carnival vibe.

The carnival has taken the blueprint from Trinidad Carnival. Therefore, at the carnival many popular Trinidadian artists take part in the festival. Acts such as Kes the Band, Bunji Garlin, Patrice Roberts and many more perform at many of the shows.

The festival provides a big boost to the economy of the country and promotes local soca artists. In time, I would like to see more promotion put behind Guyanese soca artists.

Many of you will be wondering about the bands to play mas with this year. You will also want to see the costumes, well I have you covered you can check out both below.

Guyana Carnival Bands and Costumes

Below are links for the two most prominent bands for Guyana Carnival.

Genesis Carnival

Pulse Carnival

Guyana Carnival Band Packages

We would have advertised for Pulse the band in the past and I was impressed with their package. The things offered in packages for carnival include the following:

• Foot messages at rest stops
• Moving hookah
• Chilled champagne
• Make-up touch up zone.

Of course, they have the usual things expected to be included with a carnival package as well. Breakfast & lunch, snacks on the road, premium drinks, branded goody bag with merchandise, security, A/c Mobile Washrooms and on site paramedics.

Guyana Carnival Fete Schedule 2025

We do not have a full fete list as yet, however, below are some of the events for the Genesis Independence weekend.

Places to stay in Guyana

Since the carnival and most of the activities are in Georgetown, you will want to stay in that area. There are many hotels in Georgetown but I would advise you plan your trip and book your hotel early.

Hotels in Georgetown are

• Herdmanston Lodge Hotel,
• Guyana Marriott Hotel Georgetown
• Tropical View International Hotel and The Eldorado Inn.

Things to do in Guyana

Although Guyana is located on the Northern coast of South America, it is considered part of the Caribbean. Guyana offers all the tropical wonders of the Caribbean along with the exotic animals and attractions of North America.

There are many things to do in Guyana and incredible sights to see. Once you have enough time during your stay I advise you enjoy the beauty of the island. I will briefly list three of the things you can do while on your stay.

Guyana Botanical Gardens

The botanical gardens in Guyana have the biggest variety of tropical flowers, palms and trees in the Caribbean. You will find the Victoria Regia Lily there, which is Guyana’s national flower. The gardens are beautifully setup with ponds, walkways and gazeebos.

It is a good environment to unwind and enjoy the beauty of nature.

Guyana Zoological Park

The Guyana zoo is actually located inside the botanical gardens. It features some of the most incredible species of animals in Guyana. These animals include anacondas, pumas, hawks, jaguars, harpee eagles and manatees just to name a few. I would have to say this is one of the nest zoos in the Caribbean.

Kaieteur Falls

This is one of the main tourist attractions in Guyana. Kaieteur Falls is one of the tallest and most powerful waterfalls in the world. The falls are in the rain forest and there are trips for tourists who want to visit. It is estimated the falls are four times smaller than Niagara Falls.

Stay tuned for more images and info on other carnivals. You can also check out costumes to play mas with on our carnival page. If you attended Guyana Carnival last year, feel free to comment below and let us know how your experience was.