JANUARY

• Horse Racing. Burrell Boom Village. New Year's Day race starts at the entrance of the track. Horses run one mile around, rest, and then run again. 
• Krem New Year's Cycling Classic. New Year's Day. Starts in Corozal and ends in Belize City.

FEBRUARY

• Fiesta de Carnival. Celebrated nationwide, groups compete in comparsas (dances) a week before Lent.
• International Billfish Tournament. Belize City. Enticing cash prizes lure marlin and sailfish anglers: sponsored by the Radisson Fort George Hotel and Marina and Esso Oil, organized by the Belize Game Fishing Association.
• Valentine Cycle Race. Starts in Belmopan, runs to Benque Viejo, and finishes in Belize City at Constitution Park.

MARCH

• Agricultural Show. Chan Pine Ridge near Orange Walk. Includes exhibits on livestock and crops.
• Baron Bliss Day. Belize City. Nation­wide celebration honors this great benefactor. Harbor regatta in front of the lighthouse where Bliss is buried, cycle race, and kite contest.
• La Ruta Maya River Challenge. Macal and Belize rivers. Four-day canoe race traces the route of the ancient Maya, starting in San Ignacio and ending in Belize City at Belcan Bridge.
• San Cas Belmopan Cycling Classic. Cyclists race from Belize City to Belmopan and back, sponsored by Santiago Castillo.
• San José Succotz Festival. Cayo. Fair celebrates the town's patron saint and features rides, games, marimba music, food, and drinks.

APRIL

• Burrell Boom Village Cycle and Horse Races. International cyclists race on Easter Monday from Belize City to Sylvestre Stadium in Burrell Boom. All-day celebrations, horse races, food, and music.
• Good Friday. Ambergris Caye and Caye Caulker. Townspeople participate in processions, carrying crosses through the towns.
• Holy Saturday Cycling Classic. Bicycle race from Belize City to San Ignacio and back features international participation.
• Easter Fair. San Ignacio. Easter weekend fair features entertainment, live music, sports activities, and family games.

MAY

• Arts and Crafts Exhibits/Performances. Belize City. Late-May fair showcases cultural diversity.
• Blue Water Fishing Tournament. St. George's Caye. Sponsored by Grace Kennedy and Roses.
• Cashew Festival. Crooked Tree Village. Celebrates the cashew harvest. Features live punta music, games, cashew wine, and Caribbean foods.
• Cayo Expo. San Ignacio. Local foods and displays of handicrafts Belizean and products.
• Children's Arts Festival. Primary and secondary schoolchildren throughout the country display their arts and crafts, and put on dance performances.
• Commonwealth Day. National holiday in honor of the Queen's birthday. Horse races in Burrell Boom and Orange Walk District.
• Labor Day. Parades and rallies throughout the country include BWU Labor Cycling Classic, harbor regatta, and horse racing in Burrell Boom Village and Orange Walk.
• Mother's Day Cycling Classic. Cycle race starts in San Ignacio, goes to the western border, then turns east to Belize City.
• National Agriculture and Trade Show. Belmopan. Highlights agricultural diversity, food, livestock, rodeo, handicrafts, and music.
• Toledo Cacao-Fest. Punta Gorda. First annual event is the third weekend in May. Features cacao products, tours of cacao orchards, chocolate and wine tasting, and entertainment.

JUNE

• Dia de San Pedro. Ambergris Caye. Three-day festival honors St. Peter, patron saint of San Pedro Town. Boats and fishermen get blessed at an early-morning boat parade. Fiesta and jump-up follow.
• Placencia Lobster Festival. Placencia. Celebrates Fisherman's Day and the opening of lobster season with a fishing tournament, bicycle races, boat races, and lobster dishes.
• Placencia Cycle Classic. International biking competition starts in Belize City and ends in Placencia.

JULY

• Benque Viejo Fiesta. Benque Viejo. Local fair celebrates the patron saint of this western village, with cultural presentations, marimba bands, food, and games.
• Caye Caulker Lobster Festival. Caye Caulker. Celebrates lobster season with a variety of lobster dishes, live music, and bicycle races.
• Fiestarama. Orange Walk. Features a variety of foods from different cultures, agricultural shows, horse racing, and rides.

AUGUST

• Costa Maya Festival. Ambergris Caye. International event features music, arts, crafts, dances, and typical foods of Belize and neighboring countries.
• Deer Dance Festival. San Antonio, Toledo. Celebrations of traditional Maya culture and religion feature historical reenactments, costumes, and masks representing deer and jaguar hunters.

SEPTEMBER

• Carnival. Colorful pageantry, costumed bands, parades, street jump-ups, music, dances, and food.
• Independence Day. Numerous cultural, religious, and sporting activities include flag-raising ceremonies, parades, street jump-ups, music, dance, and food.
• St. George's Caye Day. Holiday commemorating the 1798 battle when British soldiers, Baymen, and slaves defeated the Spanish. Carnival, sporting activities, fire-engine parade, and concerts.

OCTOBER

• Belikin Spectacular. Ambergris Caye. Billfish (white and blue marlin and sailfish) tournament organized by the Belize Game Fishing Association, attracts international participation.
• Pan American Day. Columbus Day fiestas and beauty contests celebrate mestizo culture. Horse and cycle races and regattas featured.

NOVEMBER

• Garifuna Settlement Day. Belize, Stann Creek, and Toledo districts. Celebrates the arrival of the Garinagu people in the early 1800s to Stann Creek. Parades and religious and cultural activities.

DECEMBER

• Christmas Day. Families and friends get together to celebrate this international holiday.
• Boxing Day Horse and Cycle Races. Burrell Boom Village. Parties, dances, horse races, cycle race from Belize City to Burrell Boom Village, and Garifuna dances.

Some holidays may be celebrated on a different date than that on which they actually fall.

Every effort was made to ensure the accuracy of information. However, dates are subject to change. For further information, contact the Belize Tourism Board.

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