Caribbean Carnival 2026
Caribbean Carnival 2026: Resilience is our Rhythm
The Goals for this Year's Caribbean Carnival are:
- Celebrate Caribbean Carnival as a living cultural tradition across the diaspora.
- Educate on the history, meaning, and artistic expression of Carnival.
- Foster connection through shared experiences in food, music, and movement.
- Highlight underrepresented Caribbean narratives and perspectives.
- Support student leadership and collaboration through the planning and execution of Carnival programming.
This Year's Theme: Resilience is our Rhythm
Resilience is our Rhythm is Caribbean Carnival 2026's theme. It centers the Caribbean's strength, creativity, and care of its people. In the face of climate change, colonialism, and environmental harm, Caribbean communities have continued to adapt, create, and thrive. Through music, movement, food, and storytelling, Carnival becomes a space where resilience is lived and celebrated. This year, we aim to celebrate Caribbean culture, share the histories and meanings behind Carnival, build connections across communities, and uplift underrepresented Caribbean voices. At its core, this theme reminds us that Carnival is not just a celebration; it is how communities endure, resist, and move forward together.
Our kick-off event, "Let's Talk Carnival," is a lively, participatory, and educational event that includes a fashion show with authentic Carnival attire. It will hold space to hear stories, learn about traditions, and experience the artistry behind Carnival through conversation and live showcases.
We continue with Before the Carnival: Roots of Indigeneity in the Caribbean, a collaborative webinar that centers Indigenous identities, ancestral knowledge, and the role of traditional practices in responding to climate change. This space highlights perspectives that are often overlooked while connecting environmental resilience to cultural continuity. Through Master Chef: Island vs. Island, participants will explore the diversity of Caribbean cuisine in a dynamic, team-based cooking challenge. This event emphasizes creativity, adaptability, and the cultural significance of food as a site of identity and connection.Whine, Wuk & Weights offers an interactive experience that blends Soca music, movement, and strength-building, highlighting dance as both cultural expression and embodied resilience.
Finally, on May 2nd, Carnival Day 2026 brings the community together for a procession and celebration featuring music, food, and performances. From the movement through campus to the gathering on the Green, this event reflects the energy, vibrancy, and collective spirit that define Caribbean Carnival, creating space for joy, connection, and cultural visibility.
Still North Drink of the Month Collab
The Caribbean Carnival 2026 Planning Committee is partnering with Still North Book Store on a Beverage of the Month collaboration to create a drink that encapsulates familiar flavors of the Caribbean islands. Our drink of the month will be a non-alcoholic Roots Run Deep (Caribbean spice, coconut syrup, limeade). We will be providing free drink tickets at random to event attendees.
In addition to our drink collab, there will also be a display in Still North of a compilation of novels, stories, and academic writings focused on the experience of Caribbean authors and thinkers, as well as highlighting different facets of Caribbean culture.
Check out our display from Wednesday, April 1st, until Friday, April 30th!
Let's Talk Carnival
Saturday, April 18th | 6:30 - 8:00 PM
Top of the HOP
Listen to some of the cultural experiences of faculty members and students as we learn about how Carnival, as a celebration, is planned and connected to a variety of communities. From exploring personal connections and memories of Carnival, to modern challenges in the Caribbean, and a fashion display with authentic suits and costumes, attendees will engage with the traditions, artistry, and meanings behind the carnival, learning how different communities across the Caribbean and the African diaspora have shaped and redefined Carnival over generations.
Appetizers and snacks provided
Open to campus.
Before The Carnival: Roots of Indigeneity in the Caribbean
Wednesday, April 22nd | 5:30 - 7:00 PM
Zoom, register here
Join us for a collaborative webinar exploring Indigenous identities across the Caribbean and the ongoing significance of their ancestral knowledge. In partnership with peer institutions, this conversation will center the histories, cultural practices, and resilience of Indigenous communities whose contributions are often overlooked in dominant narratives of the region.
Together, we will reflect on how ancestral ways of relating to land, water, and community offer meaningful approaches to addressing today's climate challenges. This event invites participants to engage with the Caribbean beyond celebration, recognizing the deep roots, knowledge systems, and lived experiences that continue to shape the region.
Register here: https://dartmouth.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_ydwl-Ey4RTar7tVRPrpgrw
Master Chef - Island Edition
Friday, April 24th | 6-8PM
Occom Commons
Welcome to Master Chef Island Edition, where resilience is our rhythm and flavor is our language. For this exciting challenge, we invite you to taste, explore, and celebrate the vibrant culinary rhythms of the Caribbean. From the smoky, bold jerk flavors of Jamaica to the rich, fiery spices of Haiti, each island brings its own unique beat to the table. Every flavor, every palate, and every cultural influence is ready to be discovered.
The Challenge: Teams will each prepare a dish inspired by a Caribbean island of their choice (no duplicates). However, there's a twist: Each dish must include four specific ingredients; including one mystery ingredient that will put each team's creativity and adaptability to the test!
Open to campus
Whine, Wuk & Weights
Sunday, April 26th | 1:00 pm
Alumni Gym
This high-energy workshop that blends Soca music, dance, and strength training into an interactive cultural experience. Participants will engage in guided movement that combines "wining" and Caribbean dance styles with accessible fitness elements, creating a space that is both active and expressive. This session highlights movement as a core part of Caribbean culture while inviting participants of all levels to connect with rhythm, build strength, and experience the joy and energy of Carnival.
Every student is welcome!
Carnival Day 2026
Saturday, May 2nd | 12:00 pm - 4:00 pm
Mass Row (Weather Permitting) x Collis Common Ground
Join the Caribbean Carnival 2026 Planning Committee for the main event of the celebration as we make our way to Mass Row for an afternoon of music, food, vibes, and more! There will be a procession around Baker-Berry Library from 12:00 to 12:30 pm, and then all things lead to the lawn for performances, DJ Syxx Figgaz out of Albany, NY, food catered by The Karibbean, Twelve31, Powder Paint, and raffles.
Caribbean Carnival 2026 Planning Committee
- Tahjae Jackson '25 TH'26 (Chair)
- Tyler Brown '26
- Rachel Asha '27
- Dejanay Pinto '27
- Elaisa Feliz Ciprian '28
- D'Anfernee Cush '28
- Christopher Raphael' '28
- Gaelle Valmir '28
Sponsors & Collaborators
Office of Institutional Diversity & Equity, Special Programs & Events Committee, Collis Center for Student Involvement, Dartmouth Caribbean Connection (DCC), Department of Sociology, Spanish and Portuguese Department, Department of African and African American Studies, Native American Program, DJ Syxx Figgaz, Department of French & Italian, The Hopkins Center for the Arts, Latino, Hispanic, & Caribbean Employee Resource Network, and Still North Bookstore.