Morne-à-l’Eau Crab Festival
April 3–4, 2010
Every year crab aficionados flock to the mangrove-bordered West Indies region of Morne-à-l’Eau to savour its local specialty in its many incarnations. Mangrove crab—it’s the island’s tastiest crab!
Don’t miss the many non-crab-related activities also on the agenda.
http://www.feteducrabe.com/
Le Moule Flea Market
Sunday, April 2 from 7 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Hundreds of artists and second-hand dealers gather at Le Moule’s Liberty Square every other Sunday to sell new and used items. From West Indian antiques to palm-leaf woven baskets to used clothes, there’s something for everyone!
While you’re there, be sure to take an invigorating stroll along the seaside boardwalk.
Fish & Sea Festival
April 8–10, 2010
For lovers of the sea and all its treasures, the Saint-François Fish & Sea Festival is a must. Fish en papillote, blaff of fish, fish courtbouillon, fish colombo—fish every which way. Join in the troll fishing contests, seafood tastings, and traditional pri-pri raft races, or in the many festivities that light up the town at night!
Désirade’s Goat Festival
April 11–12, 2010
Once a market where the Désirade and Tamil people would meet to trade goat kids, the Goat Festival—La Fet a Kabrit in local parlance—is known for having the best kid in all of Guadeloupe! Special events include pétanque and belote tournaments, goat kid auctions, Indian nights, and wagon rides. Check out the goat swimsuit competition on the beach and vote for your favourite goat!
11th Marie-Galante Terre de Blues Festival
May 20–24, 2010
Caribbean blues, Ka, Latin blues, and a touch of salsa and gospel—the Blues Festival is a smorgasbord of West Indian musical traditions. In the heart of Grand-Bourg on Marie-Galante, an artists’ village showcases the handiwork of the Guadeloupe people.
http://www.terredeblues.com/index.php
Creole Blues Festival
May 21–24, 2010
Every year, some of the greatest talent from Africa, the US, and particularly Guadeloupe come together in Le Moule to stir the city into a blues frenzy. You can also catch documentary film screenings to enrich your knowledge of the history of Creole blues.
French Surf Championship in Guadeloupe
May 26–28, 2010
Saint-François and AnseBertrand beaches play host to over 200 French pro surfers as they test the Caribbean waters during Guadeloupe’s French Surf Championship. Come feast your eyes as longboarders, bodyboarders, bodysurfers, and traditional surfers strut their stuff.
West Indies Music Festival
June 21, 2010
Every year on June 21, from Fort-de-France (Martinique) to Pointe-à-Pitre (Guadeloupe), the West Indies dance to the beat of zouk, reggae, biguine, calypso, chouval-bwa, and merengue! Both cities abound with concerts featuring folk music, a genre that is forever being redefined as it blends with contemporary trends.
The festival also serves as an opportunity for musicians to introduce their sounds to all corners of the archipelago.
Baie-Mahault Festival
June 26–28, 2010
In honour of St. John the Baptist, the Baie-Mahault Festival used to celebrate summer solstice and the end of harvest but has, in recent years, become a weekend-long gathering of artisans and musicians.
Jet Ski World Championship
June 25–28, 2010
At the Jet Ski World Championship, jet skiers slice through the waters of the Caribbean Sea at breakneck speeds, hugging Guadeloupe’s coastline all the way from Pointe-à-Pitre to Petit-Bourg where sailors await them.
