T&T packs a lot into its calendar, across both islands and covering a myriad of interests and activities. It’s the place where various cultures mesh almost seamlessly, hobbies overlap, new attractions spring up and trends – global & local - are appreciated.
It is almost oxymoronic; Trinbagonians can be laid back like the best Caribbean stereotype but at the same time they cannot sit still. Their minds are wondering when the next event is taking place because they also know that besides the genuine interest of the event, there will always be the added Trini flavour of the lime at the center, creating a unique twist and a continually evolving happy place.
Whether it's the annual Tobago Heritage Festival, an ode to Tobago's cultural traditions, food, music, and dance bequeathed by their ancestors, or the razzmatazz of watching Caribbean Premier League Cricket in full party mode, entertainment is at the center of the T&T psyche.
Red carpet occasions such as the T&T Film Festival and literary events such as the Bocas Lit Fest echo the creativity born of a Carnival nation. A nation that not only appreciates the arts but also excels within it, while providing its own slant, as evidenced by the likes of the Paul Keens-Douglas Talk Tent, a celebration of our dialect, humour and folklore.
Food, of course, plays a major role, enhanced through Tobago’s Blue Food Festival, or Trinidad’s artisan Mango Melee. Both follow the same concept of creating unusual dishes with local fruit and vegetables. Where else in the world would you attend an annual Curry Duck & Cocktails affair that incorporates a street party? Only in T&T.
Festivity abounds too for the recognition of a region. Borough Days bring together the best offerings of delicacies, goods, music and personalities for specific areas, the large crowds at the Arima and Port Fortin Borough Days are made up of residents and visitors in equal measure, enjoying the all-day affairs that must end in revelry on the streets.
If you’re sensing a common theme, you’re not mistaken, whatever your interests, there is a varied and packed calendar of entertainment that all feeds into that T&T feeling.
