Christmas in Cayman
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Cayman Carnival Batabano
Batabano is one of the biggest annual events in the Cayman Islands and is a Mardi Gras-like event featuring soca music, colourful costumes, dancing and parade.
Batabano's signature Soca music (a type of calypso music with elements of soul that often features lyrics about life or politics), is the driving force behind the carnival festivities which also features calypso bands, colourful costumes, dancing and a float parade.
Batabano - Cayman Carnival 2026 Dates
Adult Parade: 9th May 2026
Junior Parade: 2nd May 2026
History
Launched in 1983 by the Rotary Club of Grand Cayman, Cayman Carnival Batabano is held annually during the first week of May and is a vibrant highlight in the Island’s entertainment calendar.
The festival’s name, Batabano, is a salute to Cayman’s turtling heritage as the word batabano refers to the tracks left in the sand by sea turtles as they crawl onto the beach to nest. Finding these tracks was – and still is – a reason to celebrate!
2026 Batabano Carnival
Adult Parade - May 9th 2026
The streets of Cayman will come alive with a kaleidoscope of music, dance and pageantry. Onlookers should seek a good vantage spot along the route and watch as thousands of energetic revelers dance through the streets in spectacular costumes. Spectators can expect to be enthralled by stilt walkers, acrobats and limbo dancers, all grooving to the beat of live soca music.
The Adult Street Parade majestically and rhythmically will make its way from Public Beach and will end up on George Town's historic waterfront. The
excitement concludes with the famous Batabano Food Festival on Cardinal
Avenue and at around 6pm, the now traditional street dance known as Las'
Lap takes place featuring
local and international DJ's performing until midnight.
Junior Parade - May 2nd 2026
Cayman Carnival Junior Batabano is a family-friendly festival for the islands’ youth. Introduced in 2002, this colourful cultural showcase marks its anniversary this year! Junior Carnival has grown from a small program that preceded the adult parade to its very own one-day event.
The children will parade into George Town in a mass of colour, music and creativity. After the parade, the fun continues with face painting, mask decorating, snow cones and many family fun activities.
The goal of Junior Carnival Batabano is to create a safe, fun and creative environment for youth to play mas (masquerade) and to teach the art of costume making for generations to come.
Join the Junior Batabano Carnival for a family fun day and street parade in George Town. The family fun day kicks off at 3 PM on Cardinal Avenue, featuring games, activities, and delicious food for the whole family. Then, at 4 PM, watch as Cayman's talented youth showcase their creativity in the vibrant costume street parade.
Cayman Carnival 2019
