This year (2016), Barbados celebrates its ‘Golden Jubilee’ 50th Anniversary of Independence with many festive events and activities. Don’t worry if you won’t be here for the official month of Independence (November) there are loads of things to enjoy throughout the year leading up to the significant 2016 Anniversary milestone.
This particular Jubilee year is themed ‘Pride and Industry, Celebrating 50’ and was launched on 6th January 2016 with a day of celebrations including a parade on land and sea, fireworks, and a multimedia concert, ‘Barbados We Come From.’
The afternoon parade through Bridgetown went to Independence Square, with a commemorative Broken Trident arriving on board a Barbados Coast Guard vessel. This Broken Trident was part of a nationwide competition inviting all Barbadians to participate in designing a ‘Barbados at Fifty’ monument. Over this year, the Broken Trident will venture across all 11 parishes of Barbados, with specially selected Barbadians proudly carrying it under the theme ‘Our Pride, the Broken Trident.’ It ends its journey on the 30th of November and will be ceremoniously mounted at the Garrison Savannah.
Did you know?
Barbados also held a commemorative logo competition to honor this unique anniversary, and it will be used throughout 2016 in all official national communications.
50th Anniversary celebrations throughout 2016
Throughout 2016, there’s a variety of Independence-themed activities every month to reflect and celebrate Barbados’ past, present, and future.
The major Anniversary celebrations are organized by the 50th Anniversary of Independence Secretariat. However, other local community groups have also put together extra events, not to mention all the usual Crop Over action from June to August, especially themed ‘Barbados at 50: Celebrating our Culture, Showcasing our Pride!’
What can I expect?
During this year (2016), you can enjoy Independence activities like public walks/runs, historical lectures, open days, art exhibitions, theatre productions, fundraising dances, songwriting contests, music concerts, cricket matches, and motorsport events, to name a few!
Barbados’ 50th Anniversary of Independence is bound to be celebrated with style, sophistication, and lots of Bajan fun! Organized by individuals, schools, church groups, service clubs, and businesses:
— National Initiative for Service Excellence (NISE)
— National Cultural Foundation (NCF)
— Heart and Stroke Foundation
— Barbados Museum and Historical Society
— Signia Financial Group Inc.
— University of the West Indies (UWI)
— Barbados Jazz Society Inc.
— Barbados Cricket Association
— Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade
— Gallery of Caribbean Art
— Barbados Marine Trust
— Ministry of Social Care
2016 Independence Events of Interest
— 1 February - 31 October: ‘I Pledge’ Barbadians from all walks of life are encouraged to make an official pledge of positive change to themselves, their community, and their country.
— 28 April National Heroes’ Day: ’A Tribute to the Prime Ministers of Barbados’ (Heroes Square, Bridgetown)
— 18 May: Genealogy Group: Oral History and Genealogy (Barbados Museum and Historical Society)
— 11 June: ‘Jazz in the Yard and Heritage Gala’ (National Cultural Foundation)
— 27 June: 6 August Visual Arts Festival (National Cultural Foundation)
— 9 July: Speightstown Market and Pan Around De Town (National Cultural Foundation)
— 9 July: Genealogy Bus Tour of St. Peter and St. Andrew (Barbados Museum and Historical Society)
— 23 July: Social and Dance (Northern Group of Returning Nationals)
— 28 July: 20/20 Cricket Match in honor of the Right Excellent Sir Garfield Sobers (Barbados Cricket Association)
— 2 - 5 August: Diaspora conference (Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade)
— 16 September: Tribute to the Right Excellent Sir Frank Walcott (50th Anniversary of Independence Secretariat)
— 16 October: Through the Eyes of a Child: A Tribute Boy Our Nation’s Youth (50th Anniversary of Independence Secretariat)
November 2016 Independence activities
— 1 - 30 November: National Independence Festival of Creative Arts (NIFCA)
— November (TBC): ‘Celebrating 50’: Barbados Food, Wine and Rum Festival
— 5/6 November: ’50 Shades of Barbadian Art’ (Gallery of Caribbean Art)
— 17 November: ‘Mirror Mirror, Show Me a Hero’ (Frank Collymore Hall)
— 23 November: National Concert (Kensington Oval)
— 27 November: National Independence Service (Kensington Oval)
— 28 November: Prime Minister’s Dinner and Ball In Honor of 50 Outstanding Barbadians
— 29 - 30 November: Golden Anniversary Spectacular: Inspired, Exalted, Free! (Garrison Savannah)
— 30 November: Lighted Float Parade
History of Barbados Independence
In 1966, Barbados historically and proudly claimed its Independence from Great Britain. From the arrival of the Amerindians to the Portuguese, the Spanish, and the British settlement in 1627, Barbados has a rich history dating back hundreds of years.
Barbados remained a stable British colony until the 1930s when the movement towards independence began gathering momentum. The following 30 years saw civil unrest on the island as it fought hard to cut colonial ties through the formation of the Barbados Labour Party (BLP) and Democratic Labour Party (DLP) political parties, the introduction of income tax and the Minimum Wage Act, and its transition to full internal self-Governance in 1958.
It was then, on 30th November 1966, that the Right Excellent Errol Walton Barrow proudly led Barbados to complete Independence. After being a British colony for over 300 years, the Barbados Independence Act of 1966 officially recognized Barbados as the fourth English-speaking country in the West Indies to achieve complete Independence from Great Britain.
Today, Barbados is still considered an ‘Independent state’ within the Commonwealth Nations; however, the island maintains its connection to the British monarch, represented by the governor general, its British-influenced government, and its educational and religious philosophies.
Independence Day in Barbados
Independence Day in Barbados is celebrated every year on the historic day of 30th November. It is a national holiday and an entire month of cultural events and community activities designated to celebrate the ‘Spirit of Independence’.
The day is officially celebrated with a ceremony and parade at the Garrison Savannah, where members of local service groups and military units march to salute the nation and commemorate the island’s history.
Note: We have tried to highlight the Independence events that will take place over Barbados’ Golden Jubilee year; however, our list is not exhaustive. For the complete list of events for 2016, check out the Barbados 50th Anniversary National Calendar of Events and our Totally Barbados events calendar to keep up to date with all the celebrations.
Happy 50th Anniversary Barbados from the team at Totally Barbados!
