The much anticipated Saint Lucia Jazz festival 2012 is almost here. This occasion is a premiere event in the Caribbean and even ranks as one of the world’s best party according to one of the world’s most respected entertainment sources – E!

Tickets are already on sale and visitors can check out the official Jazz festival site here.

Over the years this coveted celebration of music has evolved from pure Jazz to feature other forms such as R&B and Calypso music. With this diversification strategy, the crowds have grown over the years and tickets go fast.

This year, the main stage performances begin from May 9th-13th. The featured artiste this year is none other than the great Lionel Richie.

Other performers include:

• Accomplished South African trumpeter Hugh Masekela,
• Ziggy Marley, the son of the reggae legend Bob Marley,
• Jazz sensation Joshua Redman,
• Southern France’s Gypsy Kings,
• Gospel star Kirk Franklin,
• Trinidad & Tobago husband and wife soca stars Fay-Ann Lyons and Buni Garlin
• As well as a host of local St. Lucia entertainers

Visitors to the region for their Caribbean Holidays are strongly advised to book early for tickets and accommodation as they go fast.

Come feel the rhythm of the islands as well as the music of the world in the warm heavenly tropical settings of one of the Caribbean’s finest. St. Lucia is one of the most sought after holiday destinations of the world so why not be a part of it?

Experience the best Jazz Festival in the region – see you at the St. Lucia Jazz Festival 2012!

Air Canada has once again answered the calls of its customers and launched a weekly route into the lovley island of St. Thomas. Best known as an escape for American tourists, it is now yet another destination that sun-loving Canadians can enjoy.

With the global crises and European/Middle Eastern instability far away vacations may not be first preference to many North Americans. So why not head close to home.

St. Thomas offers the best the Caribbean has to offer with added North American comforts close to hand. For example one can enjoy the local cuisine of the islands but still escape to a good burger when the appetite goes homesick. Also the infrastructure of St. Thomas by way of roads, bridges and street lighting is by far superior to many other islands and visitors find this easier for navigating and driving vehicles.

St. Thomas is also an overseas territory of the United States and by virtue of the excellent cross border relations, Canadians will find comfort in being welcomed to this island as they presently enjoy when travelling to the USA. Currency concerns are also minimised as the US dollar is the means of exchange and with the Loony being where it is right now, Canadians can enjoy just above parity for a while more.

Certainly the entrance of Air Canada into the main island of the US Virgin islands is a welcome addition and the Caribbean travellers can only benefit. It is hped though that other routes such as Tobago is analyzed by the good folks at Air Canada so Candains can explore the Caribbean even more than now. That being said – Good going Air Canada!

HOLIDAYS OF THE REGION

Lots of our visitors come to the region for their Caribbean Holidays and are amazed at the amount of holidays we seem to have. In fact there are a lot of holidays for a variety of reasons ranging from Independence, Emancipation and achieving Republic status to a host of religious observations to a plethora of cultural celebrations.

We at Caribbean Insider’s Guide^® have gathered the 2011 public holidays and will continue to update this annually so that you can simply refer to the table of your relevant island. Please note that for most islands dependent on tourism, visitors are hardly affected as holidays mark a surge in business for many establishments, still it does not hurt to know your environment.

Anguilla	Date
New Year’s Day	Monday 3rd January 2011
James Ronald Webster Day	Wednesday 2nd March, 2011
Good Friday	Friday 22nd April, 2011
Easter Monday	Monday 25th April, 2011
Labour Day	Monday 2nd May, 2011
Anguilla Day	Monday 30th May, 2011
Whit Monday	Monday 13th June, 2011
Celebration of The Queen’s Birthday	Tuesday 14th June, 2011
August Monday	Monday 1st August, 2011
August Thursday	Thursday 4th August, 2011
Constitution Day	Friday 5th August, 2011
National Heroes and Heroines Day	Monday 19th December, 2011
Christmas Day	Monday 26th December, 2011
Boxing Day	Tuesday 27th December, 2011

 

Barbados	Date
New Year’s Day	Saturday 1st January, 2011
Errol Barrow Day	Friday 21st January, 2011
Good Friday	Friday 22nd April, 2011
Easter Monday	Monday 25th April, 2011
National Heros Day	Thursday 28th April, 2011
Labour Day	Monday 2nd May, 2011
Whit Monday	Monday 13th June, 2011
Kadooment Day	Monday 1st August, 2011
Emancipation Day	Tuesday 2nd August 2011
Independence Day	Wednesday 30th November 2011
Christmas Day	Sunday 25th December, 2011
Boxing Day	Monday 26th December, 2011
Boxing Day Holiday	Tuesday 27th December, 2011

 

Grenada	Date
New Year’s Day	Saturday 1st January, 2011
Independence Day	Monday 7th February, 2011
Good Friday	Friday 22nd April, 2011
Easter Monday	Monday 25th April, 2011
Labour Day	Sunday 1st May, 2011
Whit Monday	Monday 13th June, 2011
Corpus Christi	Thursday 23rd, June, 2011
Emancipation Day	Monday 1st August, 2011
Carnival Monday	Monday 8th August, 2011
Carnival Tuesday	Tuesday 9th August, 2011
Thanksgiving Day	Tuesday 25th October, 2011
Christmas Day	Sunday 25th December, 2011
Boxing Day	Monday 26th December, 2011

 

St. Vincent & The Grenadines	Date
New Year’s Day	Saturday 1st January, 2011
National Heros’ Day	Monday 14th March, 2011
Good Friday	Friday 22nd April, 2011
Easter Monday	Monday 25th April, 2011
Labour Day	Monday 2nd May, 2011
Whit Monday	Monday 13th June, 2011
Carnival Monday	Monday 4th July, 2011
Carnival Tuesday	Tuesday 5th July, 2011
Emancipation Day	Monday 1st August, 2011
Independence Day	Thursday 27th October, 2011
Christmas Day	Sunday 25th December, 2011
Boxing Day	Monday 26th December, 2011
Christmas Day Holiday	Tuesday 27th December, 2011

 

St. Lucia	Date
New Year’s Day Holiday	Monday 3rd January, 2011
Independence Day	Tuesday 22nd February, 2011
Good Friday	Friday 22nd April, 2011
Easter Monday	Monday 25th April, 2011
Labour Day Holiday	Monday 2nd May, 2011
Whit Monday	Monday 13th June, 2011
Corpus Christi	Thursday 23rd, June, 2011
Emancipation Day	Monday 1st August, 2011
Thanksgiving Day	Monday 3rd October, 2011
National Day	Tuesday 13th December, 2011
Christmas Day	Sunday 25th December, 2011
Boxing Day	Monday 26th December, 2011
Christmas Day Holiday	Tuesday 27th December, 2011

 

St. Kitts/Nevis	Date
New Year’s Day (Carnival Day)	Saturday 1st January, 2011
Carnival (Last Lap)	Monday 3rd January, 2011
Good Friday	Friday 22nd April, 2011
Easter Monday	Monday 25th April, 2011
Labour Day Holiday	Monday 2nd May, 2011
Whit Monday	Monday 13th June, 2011
Emancipation Day	Monday 1st August, 2011
Culturama (Last Lap)	Tuesday 2nd August, 2011
National Heros’ Day	Friday 16th September, 2011
Independence Day	Monday 19th September, 2011
Christmas Day	Sunday 25th December, 2011
Boxing Day	Monday 26th December, 2011
Christmas Day Holiday	Tuesday 27th December, 2011

 

St. Maarten (Dutch)		Date
New Year’s Day		Saturday 1st January, 2011
Good Friday		Friday 22nd April, 2011
Easter Monday		Monday 25th April, 2011
Jouvert		Friday 29th April, 2011
Queen’s Birthday		Saturday 30th April, 2011
Labour Day Holiday		Monday 2nd May, 2011
Ascension Day		Thursday 2nd June, 2011
Whit Sunday		Sunday 12th June, 2011
St. Maarten Day		Friday 11th November, 2011
Kingdom Day		Thursday 15th December, 2011
Christmas Day		Sunday 25th December, 2011
Boxing Day		Monday 26th December, 2011
St. Martin (French)	Date
New Year’s Day	Saturday 1st January, 2011
Epiphany	Thursday 6th January, 2011
Bank Holiday	Monday 7th March, 2011
Ash Wednesday	Wednesday 9th March, 2011
Good Friday	Friday 22nd April, 2011
Easter Monday	Monday 25th April, 2011
Labour Day	Sunday 1st May, 2011
Victory Day 1946	Sunday 8th May, 2011
Abolition of slavery	Friday 27th May, 2011
Ascension Day	Thursday 2nd June, 2011
Whit Monday	Monday 13th June, 2011
Bastille Day	Thursday 14th July, 2011
Schoelcher’s Day	Thursday 21st July, 2011
Assumption	Monday 15th August, 2011
International Day	Monday 17th October, 2011
United Nations Day	Monday 24th October, 2011
All Saints Day	Tuesday 1st November, 2011
Discovery Day	Friday 11th November, 2011
Christmas Day	Sunday 25th December, 2011

 

Jamaica	Date
New Year’s Day	Saturday 1st January, 2011
Ash Wednesday	Wednesday 9th March, 2011
Good Friday	Friday 22nd April, 2011
Easter Monday	Monday 25th April, 2011
Labour Day	Monday 23rd May, 2011
Emancipation Day	Monday 1st August, 2011
Independence Day	Saturday 6th August, 2011
National Heros’ Day	Monday 17th October, 2011
Christmas Day	Sunday 25th December, 2011
Boxing Day	Monday 26th December, 2011

 

USVI	Date
New Year’s Day	Saturday 1st January, 2011
Three Kings Day	Thursday 6th January, 2011
Martin Luther King Jr. Day	Monday 17th January, 2011
President’s Day	Monday 21st February, 2011
Holy Thursday	Thursday 21st April, 2011
Good Friday	Friday 22nd April, 2011
Easter Monday	Monday 25th April, 2011
Memorial Day	Monday 30th May, 2011
V.I. Emancipation Day	Sunday 3rd July, 2011
U.S. Independence Day	Monday 4th July, 2011
Labour Day	Monday 5th September, 2011
Columbus Day	Monday 10th October, 2011
Liberty Day	Tuesday 1st November, 2011
Vetrans’ Day	Friday 11th November, 2011
Thanksgiving Day	Thursday 24th November, 2011
Christmas Day	Sunday 25th December, 2011
Boxing Day	Monday 26th December, 2011