Placencia, an idyllic village located near Hopkins in Belize, hosts its Guinness Book of World Records-sized main street into a festival of local art in February. A Jankunu dance, which parodies former European slave masters, serves as one of the highlights.
Garifuna Settlement Day takes place every November to commemorate the arrival of the Garifuna people to Belize from Cuba in 1832. Events commemorating this event typically include a dramatic recreation of their water landing along with Garifuna music and food.
Belize Jankunu Festival
The Jankunu Festival is an important annual celebration of Mayan culture, offering visitors an opportunity to watch Kriol artisans at work creating various works of art while listening and dancing along to traditional Mayan tunes and dances. Held annually in picturesque Placencia, this festival brings thousands of guests each year.
While Mayans are predominantly Christians, they also retain strong roots in shamanism and other religious practices. One such ritual practiced by these communities is known as Dugu. This ceremony serves multiple functions including healing people and reconciling relationships with ancestors as well as giving thanks – it even honors their dead! Typically performed by elders within each community.
Belize, like other Caribbean countries, embraces its heritage through food and music. One such event is Garifuna Settlement Day which marks the arrival of the Garifuna people in 1832 and can be found all across Belize; however, the largest celebrations take place at Dangriga Village for this event which includes reenactments of their arrival as well as music, food and dancing performances.
Placencia Sidewalk Arts Festival is another annual highlight in Belize, taking place over one weekend in late June or early July and offering a variety of arts and cuisines from painting to jewelry making and more. It provides the ideal way to connect with the local arts scene and learn more about Belizean culture.
One of the more unique events in Belize is wakes. Unlike in the US, where mourners gather around a casket for memorialization services, wakes in Belize are more like parties; with wake sandwiches (bread topped with simple meat spread), rice and beans, coffee, liquor, music, as well as guests being encouraged to wear bright colors and dance freely at these celebrations.
National Pageant of Belize takes place every September 10, the national holiday that marks Belize’s independence from Spain. On this day, Belizeans celebrate with an abundance of patriotism as the streets are decorated in red, white, and blue flags and various events are hosted nationwide such as beauty pageants and parades.
Christmas in Belize
Since over 70% of Belizeans identify themselves as Christians, Christmas is an especially meaningful holiday in their nation. Similar to many European and North American cultures, they celebrate this season by decorating trees, sending cards, cooking traditional festive dishes such as turkey stuffing and ham, dancing garifuna dancers in the streets and performing house to house entertainment and enjoying festive foods such as turkey stuffing or ham. Garifuna dancers take to the streets and roam house-to-house performing for residents; similarly the Christmas Bram celebration in Belize Kriol culture involves singing along to musical instruments while playing instruments and dancing from house to house reminiscent of caroling where participants sing songs while playing musical instruments and dancing from home-to-home with participants singing songs, playing instruments or singing them as participants sing, playing instruments while dancing from home-to-home in reminiscent of caroling where participants sing, play instruments while dancing from house to home reminiscent of caroling where participants sing songs, play instruments while singing carols similar to caroling where participants sing caroling like carolling where participants sing songs while playing instruments or dancing from home-to-home.
Annual events that draw big crowds each year include the March Belize International Music Festival and Maya Pibil Day. Pibil is widely considered one of the world’s best pork recipes and involves burying it underground and then roasting it on banana leaves; any visitor to Belize should experience its distinct cuisine! Pibil should definitely make the list!
Placencia Village hosts its famous Guinness Book Record-breaking main street into an Afro-Caribbean Art Fair every February, offering attendees handmade furniture, poetry recitals, Caribbean music performances and plenty of delicious foods and beverages, such as the ever popular Rum Punch!
San Pedro hosts its annual Fiesta de Carnaval the week prior to Lent starting, drawing crowds with parades and singing that stretch for days. One highlight is a traditional flour fight where everyone gets covered with thick white powder – truly festive fun! Parades also take place throughout this eventful week-long celebration.
Easter is also an important holiday in Belize, celebrated by Catholics with a nine-day festival that reenacts Joseph and Mary’s journey as they look for lodging in Bethlehem. On Easter Sunday statues representing Joseph and Mary are carried into local churches where they will be placed within a Nativity scene.
Belize celebrates its independence with a carnival road march and festival queen crowning ceremony in early September in Belize City and Independence Day itself in Orange Walk Town. This festival boasts non-stop energy with dancers in red and blue national colors dancing synchronized to Caribbean beats; guests also wear costumes of different cultures from Central America during celebrations.
St. George’s Caye Day
Contrary to North America, most holidays celebrated in Belize are specific to this island nation. Carnival, for instance, commemorates Belize’s African, European and indigenous roots with street parades and costume competitions featuring indigenous bands along with beauty pageants and soccer games taking place over an eight day festival period.
St. George’s Caye Day in Belize is another significant public and bank holiday, commemorating the British victory over Spain at the Battle of St. George’s Caye in 1798. This event is widely revered for its brilliant tactics and incredible unity of all defenders – locals, British settlers, buccaneers and liberated slaves all played an essential role. On this holiday you’ll see flags flying throughout Belize while street festivals offer food, music, dancing and fun!
On November 19th, Belizeans commemorate Garifuna Settlement Day to mark the arrival of the initial group of Garifuna settlers who arrived by canoe, including drumming, dancing and cooking traditional Garifuna dishes like sere (a coconut-milk-based soup with ground foods and green plantain balls).
Cashew Day will take place in Crooked Tree village of Toledo District this May, providing the chance to sample cashew wine and all things made from cashew tree fruit. Furthermore, on the second weekend in May is when the Jankunu stick walking competition takes place; open to all participants attempting to balance both a stick and coconut in their mouth while remaining upright! This challenge requires great skill!
Punta Gorda in the southern Toledo District is known for being an epicenter for cacao cultivation, so it makes perfect sense that an annual chocolate festival would take place there. Each June, Punta Gorda and its surrounding areas come together to enjoy this delectable festival with tastings, workshops and live music events dedicated to cacao. Enjoy cocktails made with cacao-based cocktails or even chocolate soap!
Horse Racing
Horse races play a pivotal role in Belizean society. Unlike in many Latin American countries, Belizean horse racing goes beyond being just a game of chance; it serves as an economic engine that creates jobs and draws tourists to their country. Furthermore, it strengthens Belizean identity rooted in agriculture – producing several products such as cacao which is then exported and turned into chocolate bars and sold abroad.
So it should come as no surprise that there is a national festival dedicated to this simple bean. Toledo District in California boasts some of the finest bean production, and this festival provides local farmers an opportunity to display their harvest while celebrating it with fun activities like kite flying contests, cycle racing events, harbor regattas and horse races.
Cashew Day, held annually in May, is another festival dedicated to local food and beverage. At this festival, guests can sample various cuisine made using this tropical fruit along with wine and cashew beer; live musicians provide musical entertainment throughout.
Belizeans are highly theatrical people who take great joy in singing and dancing. With great pride for their heritage and culture, they relish celebrating public holidays that stem from Belizean history; often these occasions feature musical performances, dancing performances and food as celebrations take place across the nation.
Garifuna Settlement Day, held annually in November to mark the arrival of the first dory (dugout canoe) carrying this ethnic group to Belize from their homeland of Guadeloupe, is celebrated through food, music, traditional clothing wear by participants as well as fast-paced drumming and dancing from fast-paced drumming and dancing performers, fast paced drumming as well as deer dance festivities and ancient ritualistic dance performances – one of Belize’s more distinctive festivals!
