How Has Kadooment Day Changed Over the Years

Crop Over, also known as Kadooment Day, began in Barbados as a traditional harvest festival. During slavery, it began on sugar cane plantations. The original Kadooment tradition was started in 1687 to mark the end of the annual harvest. With time, it spread throughout the region such as Jamaica, Trinidad, and St. Vincent. However, it still shares similarities with Trinidadian and Brazilian Carnival.

Kadooment Day, also known as Mega Monday remarks the end of the Crop Over Festival. During the festival, there are plenty of events where one can enjoy the local dishes, drinks, arts and crafts, etc. Also, you get to see Barbados’ culture full of colors. At the event, thousands of people participate in different activities to make the festival lively. 

What Is Kadooment Day?

Crop Over Carnival or Kadooment Day is a six-week festival celebrated in Barbados by the Barbadian culture. It entails traditions, food, music, and arts at the festival. During the carnival, people celebrate it from dusk to dawn in a very exultant manner. Kadooment carnival is all about atmosphere and combination of meaning like nowhere else. Also, people enjoy the sunlight, costumes, music, and flavors.

History of Kadooment Day

The original Crop Over tradition or Kadooment Day was started in 1687 to mark the end of the annual harvest. Most of the harvest celebrations were sponsored and organized by the planters. To excuse and reinforce the continued enslavement of the labor force, they used gifts of food and alcohol. However, unauthorized parties were held by the slaves featuring dancing, singing, and accompaniment of water-filled bottles, fiddle, guitar, banjo, shak-shak, and bones.

All of these traditional activities were a mix and match of their ancestral culture like Bermuda Day in Bermuda. Some other traditions added later included drinking contests, banquets, and climbing a greased pole. The Kadooment Day or Crop Over festival came to an end because of the devastating effects of World War II on Barbados. Later on, Kadooment Day was first started on June 1, 1970.

Revival of The Kadooment Day

In 1974, Kadooment Day was revived as a national festival by the local stakeholders such as Flora Spencer, Julian Marryshow, Livvy Burrowes, and Emile Straker with the collaboration of the Barbados Tourist Board. It was not only to attract more tourists but also to revive the local culture. Starting in June, Kadooment Day now runs until the first Monday of August. The Crop Over festival is concluded with the celebration of the Grand Kadooment event.

How Kadooment Day Is Celebrated?

Kadooment Day is the main holiday of Barbados where celebrations and traditions are recalled. It is reminiscent of the colonial past when the sugar cane was king. The festival highlights the history and culture of Barbados along with the artistic talents of the Bajan people.

Creativity abounds and the celebration is filled with local arts and crafts, music, folk concerts, dance, photographic exhibitions, merrymaking, street parties, calypso, local food, Barbadian rum, and other festivities.

The festival begins with the opening gala and the Last Canes ceremony takes place. During the festival, the crowning of the kings and queens of the crop takes place. A prize is awarded to the cane cutter with the most efficient and effective production of the season. Hence, the work and effort of planters are recognized and rewarded.

The event starts in May with the famous Community Cavalcades, a series of entertainment and musical shows where local talent is displayed. Each week, the Cavalcades of outdoor concerts travel to different island parishes. As a result, people get an opportunity to participate in the festivities.

The Grand Kadooment is the highlight of the festival. On this day, an epic costume parade is held. It is one of the fun days for everyone as it generates a lot of colors, heat, and energy.

Expected Schedule of Kadooment Festival

The last weekend of the Kadooment or big Crop Over the weekend leads to Grand Kadooment Day. It is the time when the most popular and biggest events take place. The most exciting part of the year in Barbados is the end of the Crop Over festival.

• Friday, July 29, 2022: Right after the Pic-O-De-Crop finals, Foreday Morning Jump Up begins. It lasts until the early hours of Saturday morning. This event is filled with a lot of revelries. After the Foreday Morning Jam, people head to the sunrise beach party.
• Saturday, July 30, 2022: People who still have energy, go to the Bridgetown Market event which lasts for 3 days. This event is one of the largest cultural street fairs in the Caribbean.
• Sunday, July 31, 2022: On this day, Crop Over Cohobblopot takes place. It is one of the most exciting and biggest events of the Kadooment festival.
• Monday, August 1, 2022: On this day, people celebrate Grand Kadooment Day. This is the time when the carnival arrives in Barbados. The main highlight of this day is the spectacular parade and the street carnival during the day. Also, a road march song is judged. This event is known as Tune-Of-The-Crop.

Is Kadooment Day A Public Holiday?

Out of 12 public holidays in Barbados, Kadooment Day is a public holiday also known as a bank holiday. It is a day off for the schools and the general population. Also, most of the businesses are closed for the day. The first Monday of August is a public holiday known as a Kadooment Holiday. The observances of Kadooment Day are as follows:

Events At Kadooment or Crop Over Festival

Bridgetown Market

Bridgetown market is the biggest street fair in the festival. It takes place on the last weekend of the Kadooment season. This event takes up the full length of Spring Highway where you see hundreds of colorful kiosks and stalls.

At Bridgetown Market, you will find locally made goods such as arts and crafts, clothing, and handmade jewelry. Also, you can enjoy the live performance of Barbados Landship, Tuk Band, Stilt Walking and Dance Bands, Steel Pan Bands, etc. Bridgetown Market is the place where you will find tasty local dishes and drinks.

Calypso – Pic-O-De-Crop

One of the most important parts of the Kadooment festival is Calypso Contests and Calypso Music. The sound systems and airwaves are abuzz with calypso music. The Calypsonians compete for various titles and awards such as:

• Party Monarch
• Sweet Soca Monarch
• Road March Monarch
• Pic-O-De-Crop Monarch

Other activities you will get to enjoy in this event are the comedians and calypsonians that perform live controversial social commentary songs. Each artist is nominated for Party Monarch and Pic-O-De-Crop contests. It takes place on multiple nights and the 8 nominated artists meet on the last Friday night before the Grand Kadooment Day. On this night, the Calypso Monarch is crowned.

Soca Royale is another popular event that you should not miss. The most popular party songs are played on the airwaves and marquees. The best one is nominated for the Party Monarch and Sweet Soca Monarch.

Cohobblopot

Another not-to-be-missed event of the Kadooment festival is the Cohobblopot Stage Show. Cohobblopot is a local slang meaning a stew made from a variety of ingredients. The mixture of ingredients is all carnival. Also, there is a showcasing of the most popular music from the Caribbean and Barbados.

There are dance acts and the King and Queen of the Mas Band parade. Kadooment Bands display their impressive and elaborate costumes. Also, you get delicious food and drinks, all in one place and one night.

Foreday Morning Jump

On the heels of the Pic-0-De-Crop Finals, another premier Kadooment event is the Foreday Morning Jump. Fore Day Morning is essentially what other Caribbean Carnivals call J’Ouvert. At this event, the revelers get covered in paint, powder, mud, and water. Fore Day Monday usually starts around 1 am and lasts until the wee hours of the morning. Around 20,000 people attend this event to give it an electric vibe.

The Grand Kadooment Day

Grand Kadooment Day is the day everyone waits for. It is the grand finale of the Crop Over festival. It is said to be the happiest day of the year. On this day, the streets of Bridgetown are filled with chaos, crowds, and colors. It is celebrated on the first Monday of August and is a public holiday in Barbados.

By the locals, the Grand Kadooment Day is known as Mega Monday. It is the time when the parade takes place and you see thousands of revelers in large groups. Just like Hei Neak Ta the Parade of the Spirits, these groups represent various themes passing through the Spring Gardens. They are dressed in colorful themes, dancing behind the music trucks for more than four hours.

On the Grand Kadooment Day, some of the local people dance in front of their homes while cheering the groups of mas.

Kadooment Day – Mega Monday of Barbados

Kadooment Day, also known as Crop Over is one of the unusual ancient holidays and festivals celebrated in Barbados. It is the most anticipated event of the year where a whole month is celebrated by people around the world. Kadooment Day is the mark of the six-week Crop Over festival. The finale of Kadooment Day is celebrated on the first Monday of August and there is a public holiday for the locals on this day.

During the Crop Over festival, you get to enjoy the live food, drinks, culture, arts and crafts, outdoor concerts, standup comedians, controversial social commentary songs, etc. There is a specific day for each event that lasts for a certain period. Also, there is a beach party where people are covered in colors, powder, mud, water, and paints. To end the Crop Over festival, there is a parade on the Grand Kadooment Day where people wear colorful, impressive, and elaborate costumes.