Batabano Carnival:
Grand Cayman’s End-of-Season Festival

Grand Cayman’s Batabano Carnival takes place every year around the last week of April or the first week of May, which is the start of the rainy season.

‘Batabano’ refers to the tracks sea turtles make as they make their way from the sea, and across the beach sand, to lay their eggs. In the olden days, it was a time for celebration because folks got something to eat that wasn’t fish!

Grand Cayman’s busy time, both from visitors flying in and staying at resorts or visiting for the day from a cruise ship, runs from November to May when northerners are enjoying the snow and ice of winter. In the May to November, when Europe and North America are enjoying their own summer, it’s still a great place to visit but will likely be wet.

Batabano Carnival — Children’s Parade

Batabano Carnival, kid's parade starts the week

The carnival starts on Saturday afternoon with a children’s parade, lots of colourful costumes and music, through the principal streets of George Town.

Groups taking part are often schools, dance schools, and other children’s clubs.

Batabano lasts one full week, ending with a grand parade on the following Saturday afternoon.

Adult Events

In the week that follows, there are other more adult events, such as a masquerade dinner (you have to book and pay to get in so it isn’t particularly for visitors to the island) and various bar events. For visitors, the bars are where you’ll most likely get to take part.

Grand Cayman is a fairly small community, even today, so this isn’t Rio-sized carnival and it isn’t well advertised on the island either.

It isn’t something the average visitor gets to know about or watch but if you are there, the adults parade on the last Saturday of carnival week is the event to attend.

The adult parade also has colourful costumes and loud music but this time definitely more sexy. Not that Cayman gets too risque; it’s no accident there are over 200 churches on Grand Cayman alone.

In this photo, the kid’s parade and a float pass the George V clock tower in downtown George Town.

Just as Batabano heralds the end of the visitor season, Pirate Week in November heralds the start of the season.

A Caribbean event without a steel band is unthinkable and Batabano is no exception. This excellent band of young folk enlivened the whole parade.

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