St. Lucia celebrates its status as a new sovereign nation, becoming independent from Great Britain in 1979. St. Lucians are very proud of their relatively new 38-year old country, and this is demonstrated in this public holiday. It is celebrated on February 22nd annually.
Held every May for the past 22 years, this annual music festival of Jazz, Reggae, and Calypso styles has attracted several top international artists such as: George Benson, Herbie Hancock, and Courtney Pine, amongst others. The event has grown since its inception and is now a firm fixture on the international festival calendar.
Held mid-July every year, this annual festival has a distinctively Caribbean feel, celebrating the St. Lucian way of life. There are many pageants which are the highlight of the festival, awards such as the ‘Caribbean Beauty Queen’, ‘Calypso Monarch’, and ‘Party Monarch’ are awarded at this event.
There are actually two festivals held in St. Lucia, one in August and another in October. These festivals are held to celebrate the culture and tradition of the country. During the festivals there is a religious service, followed by street parades where people dress up in historical attire of kings and queens, doctors and nurses, and police officers.
The October festival has a particularly Creole influence to coincide with National Creole Day.
This is an annual transatlantic sailing competition beginning in Europe at the end of November, and then culminating a few days before Christmas in St. Lucia. It is the largest transoceanic sailing race in the world, attracting around 200 boats. At the finish in Rodney’s Bay, St. Lucia, you can expect huge celebrations as the winning boat floats in.
The largest airport in St. Lucia this Hewanorra International Airport. The Hewanorra airport is located in the city of Vieux Fort. The airport handles about 500,000 passengers per year from many different international countries. The government of St. Lucia hope that with all of the new renovations underway that the number of visitors will increase to 750,000 annually.
The Hewanorra International Airport has several different airlines that visit the island on a daily and weekly basis.
Airlines services from the United States:
American Airlines, Delta Airlines, and JetBlue
Airlines services from Canada are:
Air Canada and WestJet airlines
Airlines services from London are:
British Airways and Virgin Atlantic
The Hewanorra airport is about an hour’s drive from the islands capital city of Castries. The drive north to Castries is a great way to get a feel for the island and its beauty. Taxis are available on arrival.
The George F.L. Charles Airport is a much smaller than Hewanorra International Airport. This airport is located in the islands capital city of Castries.
This airport handles about 395,000 passengers per year with flights coming from many regional countries such as: Antigua, Barbados, Dominica, Guadeloupe, Martinique, Trinidad, and additional countries.