Saint Lucia packs a lot into a year: two days of Carnival in July, ten days of jazz in May, a whole month of Creole heritage in October and a run of flower festivals, saints’ days and street parties in between. Here are the public holidays and the dates worth planning a trip around, from now through the end of 2027.
Public holidays in Saint Lucia, 2026 and 2027
On a public holiday banks, government offices and most shops close, and buses run less often. Restaurants, tour operators and the big sights around Soufrière usually stay open, but it is worth calling ahead. When a holiday falls on a Sunday, the Monday after is the day off.
Still to come in 2026
- National Day: Sunday 13 December, with the day off on Monday 14 December
- Christmas Day: Friday 25 December
- Boxing Day: Saturday 26 December
2027
| Holiday | Date |
|---|---|
| New Year’s Day | Friday 1 January |
| New Year’s Holiday | Saturday 2 January |
| Independence Day | Monday 22 February |
| Good Friday | Friday 26 March |
| Easter Monday | Monday 29 March |
| Labour Day | Saturday 1 May |
| Whit Monday | Monday 17 May |
| Corpus Christi | Thursday 27 May |
| Carnival Monday and Tuesday | 19 and 20 July (expected) |
| Emancipation Day | Sunday 1 August, day off Monday 2 August |
| Thanksgiving Day | Monday 4 October |
| National Day | Monday 13 December |
| Christmas Day | Saturday 25 December |
| Boxing Day | Sunday 26 December, day off Monday 27 December |
The big events
Saint Lucia Jazz & Arts Festival: 30 April to 9 May 2027
Ten days of concerts, with the main stage at Pigeon Island in the north and smaller shows around the island. Rooms across Saint Lucia fill early for the closing weekend, so book well ahead. More in our guide to the Jazz & Arts Festival.
Carnival: July, with the parades on 19 and 20 July 2027 (expected)
Saint Lucia moved Carnival from February to July in 1999, and the whole month now builds to it: calypso and soca competitions, J’ouvert at dawn on the Monday, then the bands in full costume on Carnival Monday and a looser parade on Tuesday. The main parades are in Castries; see our Carnival guide for what happens in Soufrière.
Independence Day: 22 February
Saint Lucia became independent from Britain on 22 February 1979. February is Independence month, with a parade and ceremony in Castries on the day itself and flags across the island.
Jounen Kwéyòl: late October
October is Creole Heritage Month, and Jounen Kwéyòl (Creole Day) is its high point, held on a Sunday near the end of the month. Communities across the island cook traditional food, play folk music and dress in the national wear, the madras and the wob dwiyet. It is one of the best days of the year to eat your way around the island.
National Day: 13 December
Saint Lucia is the only country named after a woman, Saint Lucy of Syracuse, and 13 December is her feast day. Castries lights up for it with a Festival of Lights and lantern competitions in the days before.
Smaller dates worth knowing
- Nobel Laureate Week, around 23 January. Saint Lucia has two Nobel laureates, the economist Sir Arthur Lewis and the poet Derek Walcott, and both were born on 23 January. Lectures, readings and school events mark the week.
- Fisherman’s Feast, 29 June. On the feast of Saint Peter, fishing villages bless their boats, decorate them and hold a day of food and music on the beach.
- La Rose, 30 August, and La Marguerite, 17 October. Two old rival flower societies, each with its own songs, costumes and royal court. Their feast days bring processions, singing and dancing.
- The ARC sailing rally, late November to December. Sailors who crossed the Atlantic from the Canary Islands arrive in Rodney Bay over several weeks, and the marina is busy with parties and prize-givings.
Every week
- Friday night in Anse La Raye. The fishing village up the coast from Soufrière turns its main street into a fish fry every Friday evening: grilled fish, lobster in season, music and rum punch.
- Friday night in Gros Islet. The north’s famous street party, with sound systems, barbecue stands and dancing until late.
When to come
The dry season runs from December to May, and it is the busiest time on the island. June to November is the rainy season and the Atlantic hurricane season, with greener hills, quieter beaches and lower prices; Carnival and Jounen Kwéyòl both fall in this half of the year.
Whatever brings you, Green Fig Resort & Spa makes a calm base above Soufrière, close to the Tet Paul Nature Trail, the Sulphur Springs and the Pitons. See our rooms and suites, or get in touch to plan your dates.