National Carnival
Season or date: February or March
Largest national festival. Dance all night with floats and Compas live music.
Festivals in Haiti
Discover traditional festivals and celebrations of this country
Festivals
Jacmel Carnival
Season or date: Week after Carnival
Art-focused carnival known for papier-mâché mask parade.
Rara
Season or date: Lenten season
Street music pilgrimage with bamboo flute bands and dancers walking through villages.
Flag Day
Season or date: May 18
Holiday celebrating flag adoption, featuring student marching bands.
Independence Day
Season or date: January 1
Nation's birthday celebrating slave emancipation with Soup Joumou.
Fête Gede
Season or date: November 1-2
Vodou's largest ceremony honoring the dead and Gede spirits.
Saut d'Eau Pilgrimage
Season or date: July 16-17
Mixed Catholic and Vodou pilgrimage at Central Department waterfall.
Carnival des Fleurs
Season or date: Last week of July
Summer flower carnival in capital. Tourist-oriented event.
Port-au-Prince International Jazz Festival
Season or date: January
Caribbean's largest jazz fest gathering artists from worldwide.
Dessalines Day
Season or date: October 17
Military parade day honoring founding father Dessalines.
Public holidays
- Independence Day (January 1)
- Ancestors Day (January 2)
- May Day (May 1)
- Flag Day (May 18)
- Assumption of Mary (August 15)
- Jean-Jacques Dessalines Memorial Day (October 17)
- All Saints Day (November 1)
- Day of the Dead (November 2)
- Christmas (December 25)