Tobago Carnival 2026: Dates, Schedule and Events

By Soca Carnival Editors, updated 3 October 2026, 7 min read

Tobago Carnival 2026 at a glance

Dates: Friday 30 October to Sunday 1 November 2026.¹²
Edition: the fifth, marking five years of Tobago's October Carnival.¹
Theme: "The Awakening".²³
Main weekend: Dutty J'ouvert at dawn on Saturday 31 October, Night Mas that evening and the Parade of the Bands on Sunday 1 November, all in Scarborough.⁴
Official site: welcometobago.com (opens in a new tab), which carries the events calendar.²
Trinidad's Carnival: a separate festival before Lent. See the Trinidad Carnival 2027 dates.

What it is, and why October

Tobago Carnival is the island's own Carnival, held every year in late October and quite separate from the big pre-Lenten Carnival in Port of Spain. The Tobago House of Assembly (THA) announced the first one in April 2022 and held it from 28 to 30 October that year.⁵ The aim was plain: October is usually a quiet month for travel to Tobago, and the THA wanted an event that would bring visitors and foreign exchange to the island.⁶ By 2023 the then Tourism Secretary, Tashia Burris, was describing it as a chance to show the world what Tobago has to offer "outside of being in the shadow of Trinidad in February".⁷

It has grown every year since. The festival is run for the THA by the Tobago Festivals Commission, whose chief executive Kern Cowan presented the 2026 edition,³⁸ and the official site describes it as a celebration where "traditional meets contemporary" and "mud meets masquerade".⁹ Visit Tobago bills it as the final Carnival on the global calendar.¹

Tobago Carnival 2026: dates and programme

The 2026 edition was launched on the beach at Pigeon Point Heritage Park in May, five months ahead of the festival, with mud mas and music on show.¹¹ Organisers promote more than 20 bands and more than 30 parties across the season.²

The street parades all happen in Scarborough, the capital. Tobago Carnival has outgrown its original home in Crown Point and now uses several starting points around Scarborough to keep the bands flowing.⁴

When	What
Saturday 24 October	Pan Omega, a community steelpan showcase⁴
Saturday 31 October, dawn	Dutty J'ouvert: mud, paint and powder on the streets of Scarborough⁴
Saturday 31 October, afternoon	Steelpan and Powder Parade⁴
Saturday 31 October, from about 6pm	Night Mas, with neon and glow-in-the-dark costumes, until past midnight⁴
Sunday 1 November	Parade of the Bands, traditional and pretty mas⁴

In the weeks before, look out for the Calypso Monarch, the Tobago Soca Titans competition and the Monarchs of Mas, a family-friendly show of big king and queen costumes.⁴

Fetes and ticketed events

Most fetes are run by private promoters and listed on the official events calendar, which shows ticket prices for each event.¹² A few 2026 highlights from that calendar:

Date	Event	Where	Price
Thu 29 Oct	CocoBay: Rum on the Reef	Coco Reef Resort, Crown Point	TT$300 to TT$450
Fri 30 Oct	Stink and Dutty, a paint and powder J'ouvert party	Parade Grounds, Bacolet	TT$400 to TT$450
Sat 31 Oct	Sand Jam, an after-J'ouvert day party	Pigeon Point Heritage Park	TT$180
Sat 31 Oct	The Gala	Coco Reef Hotel, Crown Point	US$65
Sat 31 Oct	One Jammin Street Party	Canaan/Bon Accord Recreational Ground	Free
Sun 1 Nov	Pan After Mas, with Buccooneers Steel Orchestra	Buccoo Integrated Facility	Free
Mon 2 Nov	Monday Wear Parade, Store Bay to Pigeon Point	Store Bay Beach	From TT$700

The calendar also lists a Kids Carnival Kingdom on Saturday 31 October at the Canaan/Bon Accord Recreational Ground.¹² Some promoters sell through Islandetickets as well as in person, so follow the link on each listing.¹²

What to expect

Mud mas. Mud is the signature of Tobago Carnival. The tradition traces back to Bagatelle, in the hills above Scarborough, and the mud and clay are often mixed with colour as well as worn in their natural browns and greys.⁴ Expect to be anointed with mud, paint and plenty of powder at J'ouvert.

Traditional characters. The Parade of the Bands mixes pretty mas with ole mas characters: Dame Lorraines, jab jabs, moko jumbies and sailors, presented by groups such as Sisters in Culture, Tobago Drama Guild, Happy Sailors and Mudern Mud.⁴

A beach Carnival. Fetes run at Pigeon Point, Store Bay and Nylon Pool as well as in town,¹² and recovery is a sea bath away. It is smaller and friendlier than Port of Spain, but it is growing fast: in 2025 the sea bridge was reported as more or less sold out for Carnival weekend and some accommodation was at 100 per cent occupancy.¹³

Bands to know

Fog Angels is the best-known Tobago band. It grew out of a J'ouvert that friends started in Crown Point and moved its J'ouvert to Scarborough as the crowds grew.¹⁴ For 2026 it presents Fantasy Island, with a lineup that includes Stink N Dutty, J'ouvert, Sand Jam, The Gala and a Monday wear Beach to Beach party.¹⁵ See our Fog Angels band page.

Other bands that have played the October Carnival include Jade Monkey Mas, Zain Carnival and Iconic Mas.¹⁶ Trinidad bands may register for the Tobago parades too.⁸

How to get there

By air. Caribbean Airlines flies daily between Piarco in Trinidad and Tobago, a flight of about 24 minutes.¹⁷ Carnival weekend is the busiest time on the air bridge: in 2025 the airline added 3,200 seats to the 18,792 already on sale for the Carnival period.¹⁸ From Canada, Caribbean Airlines has finalised a direct Toronto to Tobago service, with a schedule planned to run past Tobago Carnival.¹⁹

By sea. The inter-island fast ferry runs from the Port of Spain Ferry Terminal on Wrightson Road to the Port of Scarborough and takes about 3 to 3.5 hours.²⁰ Adult economy tickets are TT$75 one way and TT$150 return, and premium is TT$150 one way.²¹ Book online through the ferry website or authorised travel agents.²⁰

Where to stay

Crown Point and the southwest. Next to the airport, with the most hotels, bars and nightlife, and close to Store Bay and Pigeon Point. Some hotels are within walking distance of the airport.²²
Scarborough and Bacolet. Closest to the street parades, with boutique options in Bacolet just outside town.²²
Buccoo. A smaller base in the southwest overlooking Buccoo Bay, the departure point for trips to Buccoo Reef and Nylon Pool.²²
Castara and the north coast. Villages such as Castara, Parlatuvier and Bloody Bay suit hiking the Main Ridge and hummingbird spotting more than late nights.²²

Tips for first-timers

Book flights or the ferry first, then your room. Both sell out around Carnival.¹³¹⁸
For J'ouvert, wear old clothes and closed shoes, and put your phone in a waterproof pouch.
Join a band for J'ouvert and the parade. You get a truck, drinks, security and a crew to stay with.
Carry cash in small notes, and plan your ride home before you head out at night.
The festival runs from Friday to Sunday, but many fetes run on Monday 2 November too,¹² so think about flying back on Tuesday.

Past editions

Year	Dates
2022	28 to 30 October⁵
2023	27 to 29 October²³
2024	25 to 27 October¹⁶
2025	24 to 26 October²⁴

Sources

Frequently asked questions

When is Tobago Carnival 2026?

Tobago Carnival 2026 runs from Friday 30 October to Sunday 1 November 2026. It is the fifth edition. Dutty J'ouvert starts at dawn on Saturday 31 October, Night Mas runs that evening, and the Parade of the Bands is on Sunday 1 November, all in Scarborough. Exact start times are confirmed close to the date.

What is the Tobago Carnival 2026 schedule?

Pan Omega, a community steelpan showcase, is on Saturday 24 October. The main weekend runs from Friday 30 October to Sunday 1 November: Dutty J'ouvert at dawn on Saturday 31 October, the Steelpan and Powder Parade that afternoon, Night Mas from about 6pm, and the Parade of the Bands on Sunday 1 November, all in Scarborough. Fetes continue on Monday 2 November. Start times and routes are confirmed close to the date.

How much are Tobago Carnival 2026 tickets?

Most fetes are run by private promoters and listed on the official events calendar with their ticket prices. As of 3 October 2026 the calendar lists Sand Jam at Pigeon Point for TT$180, Stink and Dutty for TT$400 to TT$450, CocoBay: Rum on the Reef for TT$300 to TT$450, The Gala for US$65 and the Beach to Beach Monday wear parade from TT$700. One Jammin Street Party and Pan After Mas are free. Some promoters sell through Islandetickets as well as in person.

What is the theme of Tobago Carnival 2026?

The 2026 theme is "The Awakening", chosen to mark five years of Tobago's October Carnival. It was launched at Pigeon Point Heritage Park in May 2026.

How is Tobago Carnival different from Trinidad Carnival?

It is a separate festival, held in late October rather than before Lent, and it is smaller and more relaxed, with beaches a short drive from the road. Mud mas is at its heart, and traditional characters such as jab jabs, moko jumbies and Dame Lorraines share the road with pretty mas. Trinidad's Carnival is on 8 and 9 February 2027.

Does Tobago still celebrate Carnival in February?

Yes. Tobago also takes part in the national Carnival before Lent, with J'ouvert, mud mas and a Parade of the Bands in Scarborough. The October festival is an extra Carnival that Tobago started in 2022 to give the island its own season.

How do I get to Tobago for Carnival?

Fly with Caribbean Airlines from Piarco in Trinidad (about 24 minutes) or take the inter-island fast ferry from Port of Spain to Scarborough (about 3 to 3.5 hours, TT$75 one way in economy). Flights and sailings sell out around Carnival weekend, so book as soon as you know your dates.

Can visitors play mas in Tobago Carnival?

Yes. Register with a band in the same way as in Trinidad. Bands such as Fog Angels sell J'ouvert and pretty mas packages and take international masqueraders, and Trinidad bands are allowed to register for the Tobago parades too.

Where should I stay for Tobago Carnival?

Crown Point, next to the airport and close to Store Bay and Pigeon Point, has the most hotels, bars and nightlife. Scarborough is where the street parades happen. Buccoo and Castara are smaller bases away from the main tourist strip. Rooms fill up early, so book months ahead.

Tobago Carnival 2026

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