Events and Festivals

January

• New Years Day
• Dr. Martin Luther King Junior Day

February

• Fiesta de Carnaval: Nationwide celebrations and dance competition one week before lent.
• International Bullfish Tournament: Belize Game Fish Assoc.
• San Pedro Carnival: Fun in the Sun on La isla Bonita.

March

• La Ruta Maya Belize River Challenge is a multi-day canoe race across Belize. The route runs West to East along the Macal and Belize Rivers, once the only link between beautiful San Ignacio, in the foothills of the Maya Mountains, and the bustling port of Belize City.
  4^th till 8^th March 2010.
  
• Annual Agricultural & Trade Show Held in Belmopan, Orange Walk Town and nearby Chan Pine Ridge every two years. Livestock, handicrafts, traditional costumes and dances.
• Baron Bliss Day: Celebrations held nationwide to honor this great benefactor of Belize. Harbor regatta is held in front of the lighthouse where he was buried. Horse and cycle races are also held.
• Trade & Livestock Show: Held in Belmopan at the National Agricultural Showgrounds every other year, the last weekend in March. Features rodeo.

April

• Good Friday in Ambergris Caye and Caye Caulker Special Catholic Church services. Beginning at 3p.m. most villagers participate in procession carrying the cross through town.
• Holy Saturday
• Cross Country Classic Bicycle race in Belize City, continues on Western Highway , Circles around park in San Ignacio and returns to a dramatic finale in Belize City. International participation.
• San Jose Succotz Fiesta: Local fair celebrating the day of their patron saint. Entertainment for kids, rides, food, marimba music.

May

• Labour Day: Address by the Minister of Labour or a representative, followed by parades and rallies held throughout the country. Kite contest, cycle race, harbor regatta, horse race.
• Cashew Festival: Crooked Tree Village.
• Cayo Expo: San Ignacio. Displays of local crafts and products.
• Coconut Festival Caye Caulker. Food, beverages, crafts. Parade with prize for floats.
• Sovereign’s Day Celebrated nationwide as the Queen's birthday. National Sports Council holds horse races in Belize City at the National Stadium and in Orange Walk Town at the People's Stadium. Cycle races are held between Cayo and Belmopan.
• Toledo Festival of Arts and Chocolate 22. to 24.  May 09. Week-long festivals in which school children depict various cultural groups in the district through drama and music. Arts and crafts exhibition includes basketry, paintings, clay sculpture, seashells and calabash vessels.

June

• The San Pedro Lobsterfest from 14 till 20^th June 2009
  
• The 11th Annual Placencia Lobsterfest and Placencia Fishermen's Day Saltwater Fishing Tournament  26 till 28^th June 2009.
  
• Caye Caulker Lobsterfest 26 till 29th June 2009.
• Dia de San Pedro festival honoring St. Peter, the patron saint of San Pedro.
  26. June Opening & Karaoke Contest
  27. June Cultur Evening, Fishing Tournement
  28. June Fishing Tournement, Festival, Beach Party, midnight Fireworks
  29. June Misa de Gallo, early morning boat parade. Boats and fishermen are blessed, street procession.

July

• Benque Viejo del Carmen Fiesta Local fair. Celebrates the day of their patron saint with cultural shows, marimba bands, food and games. Nine days of prayer.
• BETEX  (Belize Tourism Expo) Belize's first trade show.  So far, there is no date annoucend for the Year 2009.
• The 7th annual Belize Archaeology Symposium (BAS)
  This Year:
  Ancient May Ritual and Religion Archaeology in Belize: Current
  research investigation Results.
  July 1^st – 3rd, 2009 in Belize City
• Belize International Film Festival
  Bliss Center for performing Arts
  July 24^th till Auguts 2^th 2009.

August

• Deer Dance Festival San Antonio, Toledo District Week-long celebrations. Historical reenactments, costumes, homemade harps and violins.
• San Pedro's International Costa Maya Festival is the only festival of its kind in Central America. It is the biggest festival in Belize, as well as the highlight of Ambergris Caye's entertainment year. The 2009 Festival is set for Thursday, August 6  to Sunday, August 9^th 2009
• Tres Pescado Slam Tournament in San Pedro for tarpon, permit and bonefish.
  
  The tournament will also involve the Ambergris Caye community with casting competitions and boat poling competitions with prizes and trophies as well as fly fishing and fly tying demonstrations all held each day in Central park.
  
  August 20^th - Saturday, August 22nd, 2009.
• Belize National Fire Service Olympiad
  August 28^th-29^th 2009, Yarborough Field, Belize City
  
• Taste of Belize the Culinary Event
  August 29^th at Old Belize.
  

September

• St. Georges Caye Day - 10^th of September
• Expo Belize, 12^th-13^th September 2009
  SJC Campus Ground, Belmopan
• BTB/San Cas Cycling Classic
  September 13^th 2009.
  
• Independence Day September 21st Numerous cultural, religious and sporting activities held a couple of weeks before St. George's Caye Day. Flag-raising ceremonies, parades, street jump-ups, music, dance and foods. Crowning of Miss San Pedro.
• Mexican National Day: Orange Walk and Corozal towns people cross over into Mexico to reunite with families and have celebrations.
• St. George's Caye Day Celebrates and commemorates a battle in 1798 when the Spanish were defeated by slaves, Baymen and British soldiers. Around the country similar official ceremonies and parades take place. Carnivals, sporting activities, fire engine parade, and pop concerts held several days prior to this event.
• September Celebrations
  

October

• Belikin Spectacular: Billfish tournament with spectacular prizes. Sponsored by the Belize Game Fish Association.
• 10^th Oct. 09 Educators Chess Symposium at the George Price Centre, Belmopan
• 12th Oct. 09Pan American Day: Orange Walk and Corozal . Fiestas and beauty contest to celebrate Mestizo culture. Horse and cycle races. Tourism Week: Activities include silent and Dutch auction, grand vacation raffle drawing and fair.
• Hike & Bike for the Rain Forest: A two-day cross-country run and mountain bike race. Local and International athletes will compete throughout the Cayo area for the benefit of the rain forest.
• 31^th Oct. 09 Halloween
  

November

• 19^th Nov. 09 Garifuna Settlement Day Festival, mainly in the southern most areas of the country to mark the first arrival of the Garifuna in 1832 in Dangriga.
• Stann Creek Agricultural Fair: Exhibits of livestock and locally grown fruits and vegetables.
• 27^th Nov. 09 San Pedro Grand Silver 25 Years Township Celebration.
  

December

• 2^th Dec. 09 Andy Palacio lecture at the Bliss in Belize City.
• 5th Dec. 09 at 7pm Annual Boat Parade in San Pedro.
  
• Christmas Eve: Midnight mass all over town.
• Christmas Day: Merry Christmas...
• Kwanzaa! Dec 26^th - A holiday celebrated by many black American-belizean.
• Boxing Day: Parties, dances , horse races and some Garifuna dances are performed.