KINGSTON, Jamaica — The Carnival in Jamaica (CIJ) National Stakeholders Committee has unveiled the official calendar of events for the 2022 carnival season, which is set to begin on Friday, July 1, and end with the St Thomas Carnival on July 16.

"We are mindful of the significant economic loss our country has suffered from not hosting Carnival in Jamaica and its related events, which generate billions of dollars annually, with many Small and Medium Tourism Enterprises benefiting from the celebrations. Therefore, as the country continues to recover from the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, we are pleased to announce that we are forging ahead with plans for the 2022 season of Carnival in Jamaica," said Tourism Minister, Edmund Bartlett.

"Jamaica has not hosted carnival since April 2019, due to the pandemic. Therefore, we look forward to seeing an even bigger carnival celebration this year, which will undoubtedly have a positive impact on tourism arrivals and earnings," added Bartlett.

The season kicks off with pre-events such as Hard Wine, Bacchanal Rum for Breakfast, and Soca vs Dancehall, which will take place from June 24-26 and will include the grand Carnival Road Parade on July 10.

Other events in July include: Xodus Tailgate, Sunakissed, Bacchanal J'ouvert, Duck Work, PM: The Official Pre-Mas Fete, Xodus Remedy, and the post-Carnival Road Parade event – Big Wall.

For her part, the Minister of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport, Olivia Grange, said: “Carnival has become a staple of the entertainment landscape in Jamaica. As a result, we are delighted to embrace the calendar of events for Carnival in Jamaica 2022 which will feature events in Kingston, St. Thomas, and St. Ann. As the entertainment sector continues to recover, more of these mega events are needed in Jamaica to help stabilise our economy and further boost our status as a country of culture and entertainment”.

Continuing, Grange said: “We are particularly pleased to have this event again in Kingston, which is truly coming into its own as the entertainment mecca of the Caribbean, reinforced in large measure by its designation as a UNESCO Creative City of Music”.

The minister said “We welcome our visitors with open arms and encourage everyone, including our citizens who have now made this event their own, to ‘get ready fi de road’, but to ensure that they do so safely and in a manner that protects our environment”.

Carnival in Jamaica was launched in 2017 and is used as the umbrella brand for all carnival activities during the carnival period, making it a national product.

It is an annual undertaking that aims to transform the carnival experience locally. It is a key initiative of the Tourism Linkages Network, a division of the Tourism Enhancement Fund, with support from the Jamaica Tourist Board and key stakeholders.

Carnival in Jamaica will return to its usual staging in April, 2023.

Calendar of Events

June 24 — Hard Wine

June 25 — Bacchanal Rum for Breakfast

June 26 — Soca Vs Dancehall

July 3 — Beach Carnival; SOS ‘Carnival Jump Start’; and Ocho Rios Carnival

July 6 — Bacchanal Premium

July 7 — Xodus Tailgate; SunKissed

July 8 — Bacchanal J’ouvert; Duck Work; and The Official Pre-Mas Fête

July 9 — Xodus Remedy

July 10 — Bacchanal Road March; Xodus Road Marchl; Big Wall; and Downtown Carnival

July 16 — St Thomas Carnival