It’s not just a day……it’s an entire weekend of fun with music, food, and cultural performances. Mark your calendar and come down to Hopkins, Stann Creek, Belize for the weekend of July 28th – July 30th. You surely don’t want to miss Hopkins Day!!
Organized by the Hopkins Village Council, Hopkins Day celebrates the area’s natural beauty, timeless traditions and authentic Garifuna heritage. The liveliness of the people is infectious, Mingling with the residents on this special occasion will give you some unique experiences to write home about!
Everyone loves the live music from talented local artists, where dancing and drumming are non-stop. There is always an impressive lineup of live entertainment, a wide variety of food and drinks on sale throughout the weekend. You are dared you to try the coconut husking contest, or hudut eating contest. With traditional and not-so-traditional games and activities, you are sure to be entertained.
Hopkins Day Schedule of Events
The Toledo Chocolate Festival of Belize is a unique blend of southern Belize nature, adventure, and culture! Cocoa has played a dominant role from ancient times, when the Maya first discovered the ‘magical’ process that transformed cacao into chocolate, right through to the modern day. The Toledo District of southern Belize is home to the organic cacao orchards where the pods are grown, harvested and processed, and later transformed into chocolate.
The Chocolate Festival works hard to raise awareness of the Toledo District, its unique cultural and environmental diversity, promote sustainable tourism throughout the District, and extend the tourist season for the benefit of the entire community.
Every Commonwealth Day Holiday Weekend (late May) Belize celebrates this marvelous food, and many devoted followers return to Toledo each year to find out what’s new in the world of chocolate making. This will be the 12th year the Festival will be growing awareness of Belizean chocolate, and continue to capture a wider international audience.
Join us for a three-day celebration of Belizean chocolate and the cacao-driven culture of the Toledo District. Use the links on the left to learn more about the Festival. Packed with activities for the young and old alike, Cacao Fest pays tribute of the organic Cacao farmers and Belizean Chocolatiers and is a celebration of cacao, culture and the rich flavors of the Toledo District. The dates for this year’s event are the 18th- 20th May 2018.
This year’s Chocolate Festival of Belize kicks off on Friday, May 18 with a grand dance featuring the X-BAND at the Punta Gorda Civic Center hosted by the Punta Gorda Town Council! They will also be performing at the Taste of #Toledo Street Fair the following day!
The Taste of Toledo Street Fair is held on Front Street in Punta Gorda Town, from the Uno gas station all the way to the Punta Gorda library. The pedstrian-only street fair features cultural displays and areas showcasing Toledo’s five main ethnic groups: Kriol, Maya, Garifuna, Mestizo and East Indian. Each area displays art, food and music from their culture; it is like going from a Maya town to a Garifuna town in just a few steps.
Barbecued food, chocolate making, kayak trips, chocolate farm trips, there’s something for everyone. Taste exciting new chocolate flavors, buy local food, crafts and relax with a cold beer while enjoying live music on stage outside the court building.
As you’d expect at a chocolate festival, each booth has some connection with chocolate or cacao, from chocolate soaps to hand-carved wooden masks depicting cacao. The Belize chocolatiers will also be on hand to talk about chocolate and provide an opportunity for you to buy their many and varied creations.
As always, children can get involved with the Chocolate Festival through our Cacao for Kids activities, leaving parents free to enjoy the street fair whilst knowing that their children are in a safe, supervised environment. Event from 9am – 5pm.
Cacao for Kids activities include:
*face painting
*finger painting
*jewelry making
*games
Wine and Chocolate Event- 7pm
This year’s WINE & CHOCOLATE event promises to be another spectacular night to remember, featuring exotic & decadent chocolate foods & desserts like you’ve never seen before! Come experience it! Saturday, May 19th starting at 7pm at Garbutt’s Marine featuring Pandemonium Steel Orchestra!
The Chocolate Festival finale always take place on the Sunday at 10:00 am to 5pm, it will be held at the Nim Li Punit Temple Grounds, located 45 minutes inland from Punta Gorda Town. There are live performances throughout the day, this will feature musical performances from Mayan harp groups, Marimba and as well as the Ancient Maya Ball Game (Pok ta Pok) played by the Maya Team from Yo Creek, Orange Walk District. There are always a range of drinks made from cacao combined with corn or pepper and other ingredients and food stalls that offers ethnic Mayan dishes.
Local crafts from hammocks and tie-tie baskets to slate and calabash carvings will be on sale and visitors will have the chance to try their own hand at craft making and appreciate the skill that goes into their creation.
The International Belize Tattoo Expo comes back to La Isla Bonita, San Pedro, Ambergris Caye, Belize is scheduled for (10AM-10PM) May 30th and 31st, 2019. The two day event will feature international tattoo artists from Belize, Mexico, Canada, Costa Rica, Panama, Italy, USA and more local artists. The artists will display their portfolios and be available for walk-in customers throughout the event.
Events at the Expo include Miss Tattoo Belize Contest, Graffiti Show!
You can purchase your tickets at Belizean Ink or at the entrance of the Expo at Angel Nuñez Auditorium. Various DJ’s and live bands will provide musical entertainment. Food and drinks will be sold all day on both days of the event.
*Saturday, March 30th*
Musical performances from Stig Da Artist, Verge of Umbra, Zimple, Dynamike, Zero Clika, DJ Patrón, and more.
The Miss Tattoo Belize Pagent
*Sunday, March 31st*
Eddz Live Graffiti Show
The Famous Freak Show
Tattoo Contest
Prizes and Giveaways
Full Bar and Food available both days.
The San Pedro International Costa Maya Festival 2019 has been set to take place from July 26 to July 28, with three days of high-powered entertainment. The celebratory weekend 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. (Visit Costa Maya Facebook Page)
INTL. NIGHT HEADLINER: BECKY G
This year the International Costa Maya Festival is going big! This year’s International Night Headliner will be superstar Becky G! Singer, songwriter and actress Becky G was born for the spotlight and her multifaceted career is shaping up to be nothing short of iconic. The twenty-one-year-old star’s achievements include two number one hits on the Billboard Latin Airplay Charts (“Mayores” & “Sin Pijama”), starring roles in “Power Rangers” and “A.X.L.”, and guest-starring in Fox TV’s Emmy-winning “Empire” series.
The week of the festival is the most colorful and busiest week on the island. People from all over the country come to the island to be part of this one of a kind event. Hotels, restaurant, cart rentals, airlines, and water taxis are all busy and need to be booked in advance. It is a week when the air is filled with Punta, reggaeton, reggae, ballads, and salsa mixed with some marimba, steel pan, and mariachi music.
The San Pedro International Costa Maya Festival is indeed a grand event that is enjoyed by all those that participate. If you have not been to one maybe it is time to join your friends in San Pedro, Belize for a week of entertainment.
Ballet Folklorico De Quintana Roo
Grupo Crash
Garifuna Collective
Noche San Pedrana – Sat., July 20
A street affair! On this night, the delegates from the Central American countries and Mexico vying for the title of Miss Costa Maya 2019 will be presented with their official sash and they will be presenting themselves in their traditional costume, a dress by a designer of their country and lastly, a national gift – all of this will be judged and be a part of the Preliminary Competition.
There will be entertainment by the San Pedro Dance Academy, El Criminal, Rompe Raja, the Pandemonium Steel Band and Caribbean Kings. Bar and Food Booths are available. There will be games for the kids, so bring the whole family and meet the lovely ladies of the Miss Costa Maya 2019 Pageant.
Miss Costa Maya Pageant – Friday, July 26
The Miss Costa Maya International Pageant is scheduled for Friday, July 26, 2019 at the Louis Sylvester Sporting Complex in San Pedro, Belize.
