Your Weekend Menu: Barbados Food & Rum Festival

Barbados is about to serve up one of its favourite long weekends – where the scent of grilled fish mixes with sea breeze, rum glasses catch the evening light, and every meal feels like a homecoming. From Thursday to Sunday, the Barbados Food and Rum Festival takes over the island with a blend of fine dining, beach parties, and community flavour – the Barbadian way.

Thursday

It all begins Thursday in the island’s most famous fishing village. Oistins Under the Stars is the festival’s opening act – a lively mix of fire-grilled seafood, music, and that familiar buzz that makes Friday night in Oistins a Bajan tradition. It’s casual, authentic dining – the perfect reminder that great food in Barbados always comes with great company.

Friday

By Friday, the action spreads across the island. The International Chef Demos turn Speightstown, Bridgetown, and Pile Bay into open-air kitchens where local and international chefs show off their skill blending Bajan ingredients with global flair.

Later in the day, the heat shifts to Queen’s Park for the Community Cook-Off Finals. Everyday cooks, each bringing a taste of their parish pride, compete in a friendly showdown that’s part family picnic, part culinary carnival.
In the evening, the island’s rum heritage takes centre stage with the Rum Route South, which sets off from Warrens. This guided tour pairs distillery stops with cocktails, music, and great company – part tasting, part adventure, all good vibes.

Saturday

The festival’s heartbeat comes early on Saturday morning with Rise & Rum: The Breakfast Beach Party at Copacabana. It’s an invitation to watch the sun climb over the water with a rum cocktail in hand and saltfish and bakes on your plate.

Later that afternoon, the Rum Route North invites patrons to keep the spirit going. It’s a scenic ride through the island’s countryside, infused with rum tastings and hidden gems.

Sunday

Every festival needs a grand finale, and on Sunday, the spotlight turns to CARIFESTA House for the Liquid Gold Feast. This elegant close to the weekend pays tribute to Barbados’ most famous export. With each course paired to local rums, it’s a night that captures everything this festival stands for: pride and craftsmanship.

tracymoore@barbadostoday.bb

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