Anguilla Honeymoon Planner Ideas for a romantic getaway on this Caribbean island

Anguilla Festivals

Carnival

Although Anguilla enjoys a festive atmosphere year around, definitely the biggest blowout of the year is Carnival. Starting on the first Monday in August and continuing to mid-August, Carnival brings colorful parades, pageants, and lots of music to the island. Swimsuit competitions, a bands festival, street dancing, arts and crafts exhibitions, and Caribbean night with Calypso, Soca and Reggae artists are scheduled. Carnival also brings boat racing--the island's number one sport.

During Carnival, the Anguilla International Arts Festival is held for a week to highlight the work of artists from throughout the world. The works entered in the competition must have an Anguillian theme, so artists are expected to spend some time on the island before the competition. Special hotel and airfare rates are available for the international artists.

Boat Racing

Boat racing is considered the national sport of Anguilla. Races are conducted using sleek vessels,15 to 28 feet in length. The boats are made on the island and recall the history of Anguilla.

Boat racing dates back to the early 1800s to the days when Anguillians, realizing that the low rainfall made sugar cane and other agricultural crops unsuccessful, turned to the sea. Sailors and fishermen worked the waters around the island in boats about 17 to 20 feet in length. Like today's racing boats, these vessels did not have a deck and were powered by a jib and mainsail held by a single 25-foot mast.

At the end of a workday, fishermen often raced each other back to shore. The schooners and sloops that provided transportation between Anguilla and other islands often raced and rivalries grew.

By the early 1900s, boat racing wasn't just a way to quicken the commute back to Anguilla, it became a competition. Fishermen and sailors raced back to Anguilla to take part in competitions such as August Monday, the start of the island's largest festival.

Today the boats are primarily constructed in Island Harbour on the northwest side of the island. On competition days, Anguillians and visitors line the shores to cheer on the competitors.

Three classes of boats are raced. Class A boats, 28 feet long, have a maximum speed of 8 to 9 knots and a 12 man crew. Class B boats are 23 feet long, move at 6 to 7 knots, and have a crew of seven. The Class C vessels are 15 feet long, run 4 to 6 knots, and have a four man crew.

All the boats are wooden and are built primarily of marine plywood or white pine. A single spar hoists a jib and a mainsail.

You'll see the boats, their sleek, shiny hulls reflecting the Caribbean rays, as you drive around the island. Most are kept dry docked in their captain's front yard, proud reminders of the racing sport that binds together Anguillians many times a year.

Races are scheduled on festival days including:

New Year's Day
Easter Monday
Anguilla Day, late May
Whit Monday, late May
Queen's Birthday, June 16
Heineken Regatta, August
August Monday, early August
August Tuesday, early August
August Wednesday, early August
August Thursday, early August
Champion of Champions Race, mid-August

The viewing grounds are typically at Island Harbour or Sandy Ground, and occasionally at Blowing Point or Meads Bay.

Other Festivals

Other festivals throughout the year include:
•National Cultural Education Festival, February. This special event celebrates Anguillian culture with traditional dancing, storytelling, games, crafts, local foods, music, and plenty of fun. Sponsored by the National Trust.
•Moonspash, March. This annual concert is held on the beach.
•Earth Day, April.
•World Environment Day, June. Includes clean-up projects across the island.
•Christmas Fair, December. Held at the Governor's residence, this fair celebrates the holiday season.

Related Pages about Anguilla:

> Honeymoons, Destination Weddings, and Romantic Getaways in Anguilla
> Anguilla chapter of "Romantic Escapes in the Caribbean"