Tobago Carnival 101

October Carnival on the sister isle: the Thursday-to-Sunday shape of it, J’ouvert on the beach, the parade and how to get there and back.

Updated for Carnival 202719 September 20261 min read

Tobago Carnival runs over the last weekend of October: fetes from the Thursday, J’ouvert on the Saturday morning, the parade of the bands on the Sunday. It is smaller and looser than Trinidad, most of it happens around Scarborough and the beaches, and you can do the whole thing on a long weekend.

This guide is being written. In the meantime the Tobago page has every band and fete we know about, with the dates and a countdown.

Ready to plan it?

See who is on the road this season, and what is on the calendar.

This season

Events

More guides

Trinidad Carnival 101 New to Trinidad Carnival? Start here: what happens when, what it costs, and the words you will hear all week. 1 min read
Monday wear Monday on the road is your own look, not the costume: swimwear, mesh, monokinis and where to buy them without the last-minute panic. 1 min read
Things to do during Carnival Beyond the fetes and the road: Panorama, the Dimanche Gras, Kiddies Carnival, the beach and the food, if you have a week in Trinidad. 1 min read
How to choose a band Large or medium, all-inclusive or not, frontline or backline: how to pick the band that fits you and your budget. 1 min read
Playing mas From costume collection to the Savannah stage: what the two days on the road are like and how to get through them. 1 min read
The Carnival budget A real budget for costume, fetes, J’ouvert, boots, makeup and everything in between. 1 min read
The fete guide Cooler fetes, breakfast parties, boat rides, all-inclusives and concerts: which is which and how to choose. 1 min read
The J’ouvert guide Paint, mud, powder and oil before sunrise: how J’ouvert works and how to do it properly. 1 min read
Questions we get every year The questions that land in our inbox every season, answered straight. 1 min read