RSSAruba is country with various festivals there is some celebration going on always all the year round…be it religious, music, or sports festivities. Visitors get their share of entertainment, no matter at what time of the year they land up in this colorful island.
Festivities for the island begin from the New Year celebrated in the traditional way, with island-wide fireworks at midnight lighting up the skies to welcome the New Year. Groups of musicians and singers known as "Dande," go from house to house (and hotel to hotel) to sing good luck-greetings.
The National Anthem and Flag Day on 18 March witnesses the display of national dancing and other folkloric presentations on Plaza Betico Croes in Oranjestad.
The St John’s Day or ‘Derramento di Gai’ is celebrated on 24th June as another folklore day. This official holiday pays tribute to G.F. (Betico) Croes, an Aruban political leader who helped the island attain "Status Aparte" in 1986.
Carnival
The most important event on the island is the Carnival, held annually from the Sunday two weeks preceding Lent. It starts with Children’s Carnival. It is a collection of joyous festivities that include parades of dancers in colorful costumes, floats and steel and brass bands. Competitions for best musician, best dancer, best costume etc are also held along with the election of the Carnival Queen. The culmination is with the grand carnival parade, which always falls the Sunday before Ash Wednesday. Carnival officially comes to an end on the eve of Ash Wednesday with the burning of "King Momo," a symbol of the flesh.
Bon Bini Festival
This is a year-round folkloric event every Tuesday, from 6:30 p.m. onwards at Fort Zoutman in Oranjestad, the capital of the island.
Watapana Food & Art Festival
The Watapana Food & Art Festival is held every Wednesday from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m on the festival grounds between the Hyatt Regency Resort & Casino and the Allegro Aruba Beach Resort & Casino. It comprises live entertainment, music, food and beverages and display of works by local artists.
Bonbini Show
For visitors who miss out on the annual festivals, there is a weekly Bonbini show in the courtyard of the Fort Zoutman museum on Tuesday evenings for a charge of US$ 3. Music, singing and dancing, and bartenders making cocktails and special drinks is an integral part of this show. The program is altered every week, so those on a 2-week holiday do not sit through the same routine twice.
