It’s festival time in Anguilla!

It’s festival time in Anguilla! July 29th to August 7^th The Anguilla Summer Festival is one of the big five Caribbean carnivals. And it’s right on our door step and just round the corner. So hunt out your ostrich feathers and slap on the glitter, because the party is coming and it’s a big one, a heady week of boat races, sea food, barbecue, music, and Carnival events with a huge Caribbean Beach Party as the centre piece. You can fully immerse yourself in the spirit and join a troupe, or marvel at the abundance of creativity displayed in the Calypso Monarch competition. The Pageant tradition is strong in Anguilla, with three pageants throughout the festival. The Beach Party features hot Caribbean musical talent and Band o Rama and the Anguilla Band Clash showcase local musos cutting loose. Five boat races allow full expression to the beauty of the Anguillan national sport and boat race fever is de rigeur during Carnival week, so brush up your knowledge of the local teams, because you’ll need it to hold up your head in conversation. There’s never going to be a better excuse to push your medical textbooks to one side, get out there and enjoy island culture to its full. See you on the streets. We’ll be wearing a sequinned lab coat. Some festival highlights follow. The full schedule can be found here. • J’ouvert morning: Sunrise Monday August 1st. Assemble in the Valley and join the dancing throng to the beach at Sandy Ground. • Caribbean Beach Party: 12.00 midday till late Monday August 1st . Sandy Ground. • Calypso Monarch competition: 8pm Wednesday August 3. Landsome Bowl. • Grande Parade of Troupes: 12.00 midday Friday August 5th. The streets of the Valley. • Last lap grand finale: 4.00pm Sunday August 7th. Sandy Ground.