Love to shoulder-shake and dance to hot salsa or reggae music on warm nights? Then the Caribbean is calling you! Here in the birth place of some of the hottest moves in hip-shaking history, the music will have you dancing to a reggae beat on soft, powdery sands.
Anyone who loves reggae music will recognize the name Bob Marley from Jamaica. While he did not invent this musical genre, Marley even in death, is its most famous ambassador. And every summer, in July or August, people from around the world flock to Reggae SumFest to revel in the sounds of today’s celebrated reggae artists like Beanie Man and Jah Cure, in the famous Mobay (Montego Bay) . The week starts with a beach party and includes ‘Dance Hall Night’ and ‘All White Party’ and ‘International’ nights. As you sway to the music, don’t forget to try all the Jamaican food and beer, which is sold during the festival.
Rendevouz Bay, Anguilla is home to another great reggae music festival – Moonsplash. Hosted by Anguilla’s own Bankie Banx, this festival is 24 years strong and still going. Held in March, Moonsplash is the oldest independent music festival in the Caribbean. Bankie Banx opens his own bar, The Dunes Preserve, for a weekend beach party complete with well-known musicians, including Jimmy Buffett. People come from all over the world come to relax under the stars and listen to reggae music drifting on a cool sea breeze.
Dominica World Creole Festival seeks to make a platform to showcase music from the Creole-speaking countries. Here, music forms such as Cadence-lypso and Zydeco, are presented to the world. At this Dominica festival held in October with groups like Nu Look and Busy Signal, visitors will find it impossible not to sway with the beats.
Are you heading to the Caribbean to look for love? Well, head to Love City Live in the US Virgin Islands for all the love you can handle. Held on St. John’s in January, the festival is a community coming together to bring back the spirit of the Caribbean with food, music and reggae bands. Locals and tourists alike sip on Cruzan rum, kick off their shoes and enjoy the bands Caribbean style- laid-back and happy. With the festival still being in its formative years, it is sure to grow to international proportions. Don’t miss out on the love.
Not to be left out, St. Kitts offers its own brand of fun with a music festival held in June every year. The St. Kitts Music Festival is held in a carnival/block party atmosphere, with vendors selling local foods and music ranging from rhythm & blues, calypso and soca make the air hum with Caribbean ‘good vibes’.
St. Lucia holds a premier cultural festival every year in April. The St. Lucia Jazz and Art Festival is an 11-day event with a festival atmosphere and cultural arts highlighted. This event is held on Pigeon Island National Landmark, surrounded by the Caribbean sea. What better place to party, enjoy great music and soak up the life of the Caribbean?
Salsa your way on down here and ‘lime’ with us awhile.
Top photo: Jamaica: Dancers at International Night via ©Reggae SumFest.
