Trinidad Carnival is one of the biggest street parties in the world. It has become one of the staples for carnival enthusiasts and is without a doubt the biggest carnival in the Caribbean. Some call it the greatest shows on earth, it brings together people from all over the world from different ethnic backgrounds and religions. If you plan on travelling to take part in the carnival below we have our planning guide for Trinidad Carnival 2025.
Trinidad Carnival 2025 Dates
Trinidad carnival will span from February 26th to March 4th, 2025. Carnival Monday will be on March 3, 2025 and Carnival Tuesday will be on March 4, 2025. Carnival starts each year on the 26th December and ends on “Ash Wednesday”. The Carnival dates change each year, as it depends on the Catholic calendar. For example, Carnival Monday in 2019 was March 4th however; in 2020, it is February 24th.The masquerades/parades take place on Carnival Monday and Carnival Tuesday. The 3 days prior to those are referred to as Carnival Sunday, Carnival Saturday and Fantastic Friday.
This article is a basic planning guide to offer you some tips on how to plan your trip to Trinidad and have a safe and enjoyable Trinidad Carnival 2025.
Booking Your Flight & Hotel Accommodation
To be honest we always advise to book your flight as early as possible, typically flight fares to Port of Spain during the week of carnival are very expensive. Most people who travel plan their trips months in advance which is best. Please bare in mind that the demand for accommodation near Port of Spain is in extremely high demand. In addition, most concierge packages will have a deadline for November to have your money paid in to book a package. Therefore, time is of the essence, below we have some hotels that you can check out to book your stay.
- Radisson Hotel
- West Palm Hotel
- Courtyard by Marriot Port of Spain
- Hyatt Regency Trinidad
- Hilton Trinidad & Conference Centre
- Kapok Hotel
- Coblentz Inn Boutique
- The Normandie Hotel
Transportation
When travelling to any carnival in order to comfortably get around to each event it is always best to either rent a vehicle or get a taxi. While public transport is available in Trinidad, getting around late at night is always better with a personal driver or driving yourself. Fortunately, there is an apps similar to Uber in Trinidad called TT RideShare and Travee Rideshare. In addition, there are many taxi services and car rental businesses near Port of Spain, here are links to a few:
The Types of Parties/Fetes to Attend
A stated earlier in this article there are many events to attend during carnival with many offering a variety of elements for everyone. It greatly depends on what your tastes are that would decipher which events you should go to but we suggest going to a mixture of events to get a taste of everything. Here is a list of the different types of events you can attend;
- “Cooler Fetes”:In these fetes you can enter the party with your own cooler with drinks. Your drinks must be in plastic bottles and cans only. These fetes make sense from both a financial and logistical standpoint. You will save money as you carry your own drinks and you don’t have to stand in large crowds at the bar waiting to get alcohol. However, if you don’t want to bring a cooler food and drinks are always on sale.
- All-Inclusive Fetes:These in our opinion are some of the best fetes to go to. The ticket price includes access to the party, food & drinks. Although these events are sometimes a bit pricey you get your monies worth in food, premium drinks and the parties are incredible.
- Boat Rides/Cruises:These cruises will take you along the shores of Port of Spain and/or Chaguaramas.
- Breakfast Parties:Usually start at 4am and ends around 11am. Breakfast and drinks are included in the price.
Trinidad Carnival 2025 Events & Fetes List
We were able to find a good list of some of the upcoming events on Island E-Tickets going forward and we are able to find more events and a more comprehensive list we will post. However, for now they have done a good job, please see the link to the list below:
Trinidad Carnival 2025 Fete List
Types of Carnival Band Costumes
For anyone that is unfamiliar with carnival you have to join a band if you want to play mas. There are a variety of bands to choose from with many offering a premium experience and some of the more popular bands can have as many as 3000 masqueraders. Choosing which band to register with also has a lot to do with your budget. Bands usually hold ‘Band Launches’ where they present their costumes to the public between the months of July and September. Then, costumes & prices are detailed on each band’s respective website or social media.
The question you may be asking yourself is what type of carnival costume should I choose? Well there are three types of Female costumes to choose from:
Backline costumes: These are usually the more toned down versions of the costumes. This is the simpler type of costume, with less feathers, smaller headpiece. This is usually the cheapest costume.
Midline costumes: This is an option some bands offer, which is the middle ground between frontline and backline, the price also reflects this middle ground.
Frontline costumes: These are more lavish costumes, with much bigger headpieces and/or extravagant wings/big bunch of feathers.
Male Costumes: These usually include short pants, t-shirt, accessories/jewelry. Some bands include wings and a headpiece while in others it is optional. Many bands have websites setup where you can view and purchase your costumes before arriving in the island. You will usually get your costume a couple weeks before carnival depending on the band.
Trinidad Carnival 2025 Carnival Bands
Here is a list of some of the bands you can sign up with for Trinidad Carnival 2025:
Trinidad Carnival 2025 J’ouvert
The name J’ouvert originates from the French jour ouvert, meaning day break or morning. J’ouvert marks the official start of the two day carnival celebrations in Trinidad & Tobago. J’ouvert will be on Carnival Monday the morning before Ash Wednesday. It usually officially commences at 4:00 a.m. on Carnival Monday and ends around 8 a.m., however, this time depends on the J’ouvert band. Most importantly, if you are going to J’ouvert go expecting to get dirty, revelers are usually doused with paint, powder, water, mud you name it, while dancing behind the truck playing music or live steel pan music. Some of the J’ouvert bands you can consider registering with for Trinidad Carnival 2025 are:
Get in Shape for Carnival
We stress this every year in order to play mas for the entire day and fully enjoy the festival you have to have a certain level of fitness. This is one thing that cannot be stressed enough fitness! All body types are accepted around carnival so the look of your body is not the issue. Your fitness level and stamina is what will be tested around carnival. Carnival is non-stop partying, being in a band Carnival Monday and Tuesday can be taxing on the body. Besides that the route is long and you will be partying, drinking and dancing. Not to mention all the parties and fetes you will attend on your stay in Trinidad.
Therefore we would advise you stay in shape as you will want fully take advantage of all carnival has to offer and have the full experience. At least 3-4 months before you go to carnival find a way to either hit the gym or do your own exercise routine.
We have put together an article on ‘How to get fit for Carnival’ that shows you all the steps needed to get in shape. Please do not under estimate the amount of energy and stamina you will need for Trinidad Carnival 2025.
Security
Trinidad and Tobago is a beautiful country with friendly and kind people, however, it is not exempt from crime. Therefore we would advise while having fun and playing mas in the country keep some safety precautions in mind.
- Keep the amount of cash you carry on you to a minimum
- Don’t wear flashy or expensive jewelry
- Travel in groups to and from events
- Avoid having wallets or large purses
- Stay aware of your surroundings and persons who may be watching you.
Finally we hope that you have a blast for Trinidad Carnival 2025, it is definitely one of the best street parties in the world. Stay safe and stay tuned for more updates on carnivals around the world.
I Will like to get carnival calender 2019,thanks
Hi Kize, we should have the full list of events and dates next month. The list will be emailed to you.