Ultimate Guide to Spending the Holidays in Turks and Caicos

For most people, squeezing in a vacation in our busy schedules is a difficult task. Which is why we look forward to holidays so we can finally spend time away from work and enjoy some rest and relaxation. If you’re spending this wonderful time at Turks and Caicos, then you’re definitely guaranteed a unique holiday experience, a fresh perspective and a chance to participate in the islands’ culture. You may be used to holidays such as Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year normally occurring during the fall and winter seasons but at Turks and Caicos, you can escape the cold and enjoy a different holiday season with its considerably dry and sunny tropical climate and a sustained weather pattern all year.

There’s also no shortage of fun and engaging activities on the Islands during this time. If you’re still looking to add to your itinerary and immerse yourself with the locals, then look no further because we have everything you need to know to get started.

Thanksgiving  and November events

One of the biggest holidays during November is Thanksgiving and on the Turks and Caicos Islands, National Day of Thanksgiving is a public holiday observed every 4th Friday of November (November 26, 2021). Interestingly, it has no other connection to the American holiday other than being celebrated the day after and is actually “meant to be a religious holiday with persons giving thanks to the Almighty God and also to appreciate all of our religious beliefs during this period,” according to Premier Rufus Ewing.

During the last weekend of November, Providenciales hosts the culinary Conch Festival in the traditional fishing settlement of Blue Hills. The festival, which began in 2004, is a celebration of the islands’ national symbol and top export. The  shellfish has played an important role in local cuisine and to share this with the worlds, local restaurants compete to create the best conch dishes, serving traditional dishes such as conch salad, fritters, and stew as well as international conch fusion flavors. Besides the food, you can also explore local conch shell craft and handmade jewelry during the festival. For more details, check out their Facebook page for the latest updates: https://www.facebook.com/TCIConchFestival

If you’re a museum lover who’s in town a little earlier, it’s your lucky Museum Day which is hosted by the Turks and Caicos Museum and held annually on the first Saturday in November at their Grand Turk location. The day is dedicated to the community, supporters and sponsors and even includes games for kids, prizes, foods, drinks and music. More importantly, entry is FREE on this day. The Museum also has a location at Providenciales (The Village at Grace Bay) which holds a “Back in the Day” event to coincide with International Museum Day and gives a special focus on the Islands’ cultural heritage.  Visit the site at  https://www.tcmuseum.org/museum-day/

Christmas

Christmas season at Turks and Caicos is truly something to look forward to with back-to-back celebrations and a longer holiday weekend. Christmas Day is observed on both December 25 (Saturday) and December 27 (Monday) which gives you more time to celebrate the holiday. In between, you can witness the Maskanoo Parade which is a masquerade festival held in Providenciales every year on “Boxing Day” or the day after Christmas (December 26). Inspired by the rituals of African slaves brought to the islands throughout the 1700s and 1800s, it is a celebration of the island’s unique culture and rich history which fuses traditional African culture with costumed balls held during the colonial era.  Visitors can enjoy local food, drink and souvenirs as well as the festive music and street parade of bright costumes and glittery masks. On Providenciales, the parade follows a route along Grace Bay Road between the Regent Village and Salt Mills Plaza.

If you’re not done celebrating, there’s also a post-Christmas beach party on Grace Beach which takes place on December 28 and visitors can take part and experience live music, local food, and kayak racing.

New Year

The Islands welcomes in the new year on January 1, 2022 and you can spend New Year’s Eve at Flamingo Café on Grace Bay which hosts a huge bonfire on the beach. There is local food, and a DJ that plays music to get everyone pumped before and after the midnight celebration. From this location, you can also get a great view of the fireworks as the new year rolls in.

There is also the New Years Junkanoo held at the Grace Bay area which is an island tradition consisting of live music, fireworks, and dancing. The festival begins after ringing in the new year and locals parade down the streets in bejeweled costumes, play instruments, and dance until sunrise.

Fast-track your Turks and Caicos holiday trip today!