Hot Girl Summer Secrets Revealed: Surviving Barbados Crop Over
By now most of you know I experienced carnival season this summer in a way I never knew existed.
As a Louisiana native, Mardi Gras was the only carnival celebration I’m familiar with. As with any other great travel experience I must say that proper planning is the key surviving Crop Over. If you or anyone you know has ever desired to visit the beautiful country of Barbados during Crop Over here’s everything you need to know.
Crop Over Dates:
Most people assume Crop Over is a day or week, when in fact is spans from June to the first week in August. The finale, or Kadooment Day concludes carnival on the first Monday in August.
I strongly advise you start choosing your crew well in advance. This gives people the opportunity to wrap their heads around what to expect, plan for time off, save, and get in the best shape of their lives. The people you choose to masquerade with should be handpicked. Your tribe selection is by far the most important decision you need to make. They should be:
Down to have a wild, sleep deprived, good time
Love to dance
Liberal, free spirited, and down to go with the flow
Committed financially
Once you’ve decided on who you would like to include, think of a few alternates, and invite them too. It always sounds like a good idea and everyone is all in, until they’re not.
Now you get to obsess over the fantasy of actually getting to be apart of such a magical experience. Research online, search hashtags on Instagram, and create a Pinterest board. All of these will help you create the experience you want to have.
January - ok the holidays are over and now it’s time to seriously start making decision like:
Who’s really IN?
Create a group chat via GroupMe as well as group direct message on Instagram so that you have a central location to disseminate information such as lodging details, deadlines, launch dates, and carnival inspiration. And this keeps everyone’s phones from going crazy with 100s of text messages.
Where to stay?
Hotel- I used American Express as my primary source research 5 star hotels in Barbados. While there aren’t many, two of the top hotels are Sandy Lane (dated) and Sandals (all-inclusive). Hotels are usually closer to carnival festivities so it’s easier & cheaper to get around.
Villa- I searched Airbnb, Luxury Retreats, and VRBO to scour the market to see what types of luxury homes Barbados had to offer. Personally, I prefer the private villa experience for extended vacays. You can't beat the luxury of having house staff, private beach access, and your very own pool. However, you will spend more money on transportation to and from events.
We ultimately rented from Airbnb Luxe which came our very own trip designer. He arranged all our airport transfers, dinner reservations, and even helped us plan meals with the chef prior to arrival. I meannn...c’mon this is LUXE!!
*It’s important to choose a few options and pursue your top pick asap. Many luxe villas will be listed as available for your dates but must be confirmed with an agent on the ground. Don’t rely completely on online availability. Villas are usually listed on multiple site and availability for dates isn't always up to date.
Understanding the Carnival Glossary
Here’s a list of terms you need in order to better understand the Crop Over experience
Bajan (pronounce beige-an)- name for people from Barbados
Band - the organizations that design and distribute costumes for Grand Kadooment. You will choose to masquerade or play mas with one of dozens of participating bands.
Play Mas - short for masquerading
Fete- (pronounced on your mark, get FET, GO!) celebrations or parties that take place during carnival
J’ouvert- (rhymes with duvet) late night (like 2 am start time late) street parties that usually involves lots of dancing, alcohol, and PAINT!
Grand Kadooment-the finale; parade of bands. Held on the 1st Monday in August.
1) Research band. I spent months researching participating bands. From costumes to popularity, I read reviews and searched YouTube to see what experiences & amenities each band had to offer.
2) Follow your top choices on Instagram. Here is where each band will release information regarding important dates, such as costume launches and purchase dates. Don’t forget to turn on your post notifications so you don't miss out.
May-now for the final touches. Crop Over is 3 months away and now it’s to kick that workout plan into high gear and tie up any loose ends.
3) Eeeny Meeny Miiny MO. Time to choose your costumes! You will have a few weeks to decide, before purchase dates. Within each band you will have sections. Typically each section consists of:
a) Individual- ~$1200 most expensive, customizable version of designers grand design, VIP perks
b) Frontline - ~$900 high end, elaborate design, VIP perks
c) Backline - ~$500 most affordable, more standard design
d) Male Costume- there’s always something for the fellas too.
4) Get your coins ready. To ensure you get the costume you want, have your credit card ready on purchase date. Most bands will allow deposit payments.
5) Hire a concierge. Now you’ve secured your costume, but how will you get it? To avoid dealing with long lines and chaos of costume pick-up hiring a concierge service to pick up and deliver is well worth the money. Request to have your costume a few days before so that you do a test run on how to assemble it. This is the only way you will know how everything fits and if you are missing any pieces. I used @KarnivalbyKandi who was amazing and very professional. They also helped me secure tickets to some other fetes as well.
6) Make-up. Save some money and catch a few extra hours of Zzzs by booking a makeup lesson with a professional mua before heading to Barbados. Typically you will need to line up with your band by 8am. Who actually wants to schedule makeup in the wee hours of the morning considering there are so many others with the same idea. Soooo, a little help from a pro and festival face jewels from Amazon should be all you need to successfully complete your carnival look.
7) Accessorizing. Just when you thought you were done spending money, don’t forget these small details:
a) Shoes
b) Hosiery
c) Nude undergarments and pasties
d) Fanny pack (sanitizer & wipes are a MUST)
e) Portable charger
Now the only thing left to do is prepare yourself to party like you have partied before. Grand Kadooment is a veryyyyy long day so get lots of rest and hydrate. You’ll need good energy and positive vibes to survive the next 8 hours of dancin’, drinkin’, and pure Bajan bliss!
Psssst...here’s the perfect way to close out any vacation. Find a way to give back. “Always leave a place better than you found it.” ~my mom
This is a goodbye tradition I started 8 years ago when visiting other countries. It’s never too late to make it yours too!