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Barbados Sightseeing and Activities

Barbados sightseeing, activities, sports & recreation,
festivals and events, music, nightlife and much more! 

Take a whole day tour around Barbados, join a special eco or heritage tour, or take a day-trip to a neighboring island! Try an experience which brings together some of the best tours and attractions the island has to offer! Barbados is a land with a distinctive West Indian Culture, rich in Arts, Theater, Music and Nightlife. There are Festivals of all types at all times of the year as Barbados hosts a gala of West Indian Storytellers, jazz festivals, dance, comedy shows, drama and dinner shows with acrobatic limbo dancers, fire eaters and the steel pan men. Theater is active and varied with serious drama, comedy and satire. You will find subtle and spirited performances by Bajans, West Indian and international actors who are legends in the island and beyond.

Music is in the spirit and the soul of all Bajans, and Barbados has a full roster of musical happenings every year. Musicians from all over the Caribbean: Dub, Soca, Reggae, Steel Pan Players, Jazz, Rock, Blues, Karaoke, Classical Guitar and all forms of musical entertainment are on every night of the week. Barbadian Bands and Musicians have long had international celebrity. In the 1960's the Merrymen set the pace with several successful  tours of Europe and North America. Today Krosfyah, Second Avenue and many others carry on the tradition of taking Barbados music to the world.

Crop Over - The Bajan Carnival 

Running from the end of June to the beginning  of August, Crop Over is a unique Bajan style Carnival complete with calypso music, costumed bands, great Barbadian food and loads of fun! Crop Over, a five-week summer festival, is Barbados' most popular and colorful festival. It's origins can be traced back to the 1780's, a time when Barbados was the world's largest producer of sugar. At the end of the sugar season, there was always a huge celebration to mark the culmination of another successful sugar cane harvest - the Crop Over celebration. As the sugar industry in Barbados declined, so too did the Crop Over festival and in the 1940's the festival was terminated completely. However, the festival was revived in 1974 and other elements of Barbadian culture were infused to make the extravaganza that exists today ..... an event that attracts thousands of people from across the globe.

Crop Over - more than a carnival!

• The festival begins with the Ceremonial Delivery of the Last Canes and the crowning of the King and Queen of the Festival - the most productive male and female cane cutters of the season.
• Bridgetown Market consists of several stalls which sell local food and beverages as well as local arts and crafts. Enjoy the calypso music and the live tuk bands as you browse through the stalls.
• Cohobblopot is a huge carnival-like show with members of the Kadooment bands displaying their elaborate and stunning costumes. In recent years there has also been a huge entertainment package with the most popular calypsonians and bands performing to packed audiences.
• The children are not left out as they can participate in the Kiddies Kadooment, donning beautiful costumes and joining their friends in a band to parade before the judges of the competition.
• Folk concerts and art and photographic exhibitions are integral parts of the festival, highlighting Barbadian history and culture as well as the artistic talents of Bajans.
• Calypso is one of the main features of the Crop Over festival. The calypsonians are organized into "tents" (Conquerers, Untouchables, House of Soca, Pioneers, Stray Cats,etc) and these tents are sponsored by Barbados businesses. Calypsonians compete for several prizes and titles, including the Party Monarch, the Road March Monarch and the Pic-O-De-Crop Monarch. The semi-finals of the Pic-O-De-Crop competition are held at the picturesque East Coast Road, where the calypsonians perform on a stage with the Atlantic surf as the backdrop while the spectators gather in the hillsides with their picnic baskets. This magnificent spectacle should not be missed! The finals of the Pic-O-De-Crop competition is held at the National Stadium, and this is followed by the Fore-Day Morning Jump-Up!
• The grand finale is the Grand Kadooment! This carnival parade features large bands with members dressed in elaborate costumes to depict various themes. Designers compete for the coveted Designer of the Year prize while the revelers seem more intent on having a good time! The revelers make their way from the National Stadium to Spring Garden accompanied by the pulsating rythms of calypso music. When they reach Spring Garden, the party continues with more fantastic music, lots of food and drink and, for some, a quick swim at the nearby beach. A grand end to a grand festival.

Points and Places of Interest

The Seven Wonders of Barbados:

Barbados has a number of sites of historical, architectural and natural interest and it is these that make Barbados special and unique! Most people know of the Seven Wonders of the World..... here is your chance to discover the "Seven Wonders of Barbados"!

Shopping in Barbados

With high-quality, tax-free merchandise, excellent service by friendly and knowledgeable sales staff, and comfortable, air-conditioned stores, shopping in Barbados truly is just beyond your imagination!

Dutyfree shopping is especially popular, with prices typically being 30 to 50% less than in Europe and North America! When making dutyfree purchases be sure to have your passport or airline ticket with you. Your packages can be delivered to the airport or sea port for your convenience.

The heart and soul of shopping in Barbados is Broad Street in the capital city, Bridgetown. There you will find several large department stores and duty free shops. In addition to the specialty stores (such as jewelery stores), there are several shopping malls offering a wide variety of products and services.

Pelican Village, on the outskirts of Bridgetown, is the place to get local handicrafts including straw bags, wall hangings, batik, paintings, rum cakes, and much more!

Shopping in Barbados is by no means confined to Bridgetown. There are several smaller towns like Holetown in St.James and Speightstown in St.Peter that feature craft shops and gift shops. Several shopping malls and plazas are also located outside of Bridgetown. Chattel Village shopping areas are becoming increasingly popular in Barbados. These feature shops made in traditional chattel house style and selling souvenirs, gift items, clothing and local arts and crafts. You can find these chattel villages at Holetown, St.James and St.Lawrence Gap, Christ Church.

Earthworks is a production pottery in Barbados. Established in 1983 by Goldie Spieler, Earthworks is now run by her son David, along with the capable Earthworks staff of 20 persons.

Red clay ceramic pieces fired to stoneware temperatures make our pottery ideal for the home or restaurant. We generate a fully functional line of tableware: coasters to 20" platters; bowls in many shapes and sizes. Running parallel in matching colors and patterns are vases, lamps, desk and bathroom accessories. The selection, in 20 house patterns, will fill most home or office needs, but if you have a specific desire that can be made from clay, including a bathroom sink or custom tiles, we'll be glad to make it for you!

Our delivery time is 8 - 10 weeks maximum. Personal orders are received and executed with careful attention. Commemorative pots are one of our specialty areas.

Everything is hand-finished and hand-decorated with our underglazed colors. Our products are lead-free and everything is oven, dishwasher and microwave safe.

The work area of the pottery can be toured during work hours. Visitors can watch us work and stop to chat.

Next door, in our Potter's House Gallery, the best of Barbados' 3D functional art is available. There is a cafe with an open verandah overlooking the valley, next to the bamboos, where you can chill out and eat while you enjoy the cool breeze. Please feel welcome to visit us when you are in Barbados.

Web site by Tom Trowbridge
Win Win Solutions
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