SANKOFA WELLNESS PROJECT
WHAT is Crop Over?
The Barbados Crop Over Festival is a highly-anticipated, 90-day long festival of Barbadian food, arts, music and culture. Originally celebrated by enslaved Africans to mark the end of the sugarcane harvest, today it is a global event that attracts travelers seeking one of the best Caribbean carnival experiences on the planet.
WHAT is Kadooment?
Grand Kadooment is a full day of dancing and masquerading in the streets of Barbados. This celebration culminates Crop Over, a 3-month long cultural festival with vestiges from the days of slavery.
Today Kadooment, which is often referred to as the Bajan Carnival, is one of the largest and most popular cultural festivals in the Caribbean.
What is
EMANCIPATION DAY?
Emancipation Day is a global holiday that has been observed consistently by Pan-Africanist communities in the Caribbean. Barbados also stands at the forefront of the global reparations movement as well as efforts to work collaboratively with African nationals like Ghana.
ACCOMMODATION
Options*
02 Beach Club & Resort
Five-Star,
All-Inclusive
Divi Southwinds
Three-Star
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Gourmet dining and unlimited drinks
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Elevated "beach club luxury" & amenities
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Consistently attentive staff & service
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Full-service Spa with ocean views
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Local food and drink options sold onsite & within walking distance
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Spacious suites w/ full kitchens
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Great location near nightlife
* Prices are subject to change due to availability
Speak to our travel team for a list of room options
Learn our shared Pan-African Story
Celebrate Bajan Heritage & Resilience
Rejuvenate in Nature
SAMPLE ITINERARY
DAY 1
Welcome to Barbados! Let's Dance
Spin Pooch Wukshop with Spinny & Your African Queen Nandi
You'll arrive at the airport, transfer to your resort, settle into your room, then that evening, we'll head straight into the energy of Crop Over!
We came to dance, so let's get straight into it!
Kick off your Crop Over experience with music, movement and Bajan energy! Join local dance favorites Spinny and Your African Queen Nandi for a high-energy workshop where you'll learn signature Crop Over dances, connect with local Bajans, and get ready to hit the road with confidence. This official welcome to the spirit of Crop Over is your perfect start to an unforgettable week. ​
DAY 2
Learn the Story Behind Crop Over & Rum
Rum Tasting, Distillery Tour & Beach Day
Before we hit the road for Crop Over, we'll explore the history that inspired the celebration. During our visit to Stades Rum Distillery, you'll discover why Barbados is the birthplace of rum and how sugarcane shaped the island's history, culture and identity.
Through a guided tour and rum tasting, we'll honor the resilience and traditions of the Africans whose labor built the sugarcane industry and whose joy, resilience and resistance gave rise to what we know as Crop Over today.
This introduction to the deep connections between rum, the Transatlantic Slave Trade, and the Caribbean identity is the perfect stop to inform you why we dance throughout the 3-month long Crop Over festival, why rum flows freely, and the significance of the final celebration: Grand Kadooment. ​It's also a preview to our Barbados Food & Rum Festival trip (November 2026).
DAY 3
Jouvert/Foreday Morning: Dirty Mas
Foreday Morning Jam is one of Crop Over’s most powerful experiences. Beginning just after midnight, this iconic celebration blends music, dance, paint, and powder in a joyful, ancestral Caribbean tradition rooted in liberation and community. It’s Barbados’ version of J’ouvert—raw, vibrant, and unforgettable.
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This year, we will "jump" or dance in parade, with Adinkra the band. This partnership is meaningful as both Adinkra and Sankofa are terms that come from the Ghanaian language "Twi." These symbols are our commitment to honoring African heritage. Together, we’ll move through the streets before dawn, activating the joy and resilience through community rituals our African ancestors passed down to us.
DAY 4
Emancipation Day
Emancipation Day commemorates the abolition of slavery in Barbados and the wider British Empire in 1834. Observed on August 1st, this day is not just a historical remembrance for many Caribbean countries, but a powerful celebration of resilience and freedom. The Barbadian gathering brings together activists, scholars, artists, and everyday Bajans for a day of music, spoken word, drumming, dance, and speeches that reaffirm the strength of the African Diaspora. Emancipation Day is a powerful community gathering that validates our shared ancestral struggles and global triumphs, while the variety of performances bring ancestral traditions to life.
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This empowering celebration of our Pan-African identify and heritage is sure to provide you with clarity, inspiration, and a renewed sense of cultural pride.
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DAY 5
Catamaran Cruise
It's time to take the party to the sea. Board a Catamaran Cruise and experience Barbados from the water with great music, Caribbean sunshine, rum punch, and endless ocean views. Swim in crystal-clear waters, dance on deck, make new friends, and soak in one last carefree fete before Grand Kadooment.
This is your chance to slow down, breath deeply, and celebrate the joy of Crop Over - Sankofa Wellness style.
DAY 6
Grand Kadooment: Pretty Mas
It's time for the Grand Finale - Grand Kadooment.
After a week of exploring and enjoying Barbados, it's finally time to put on your feathers, beads and sequins, and hit the road. We'll reunite with many of the dancers we played dirty mas with during Foreday Morning, this time dressed in colorful costumes for pretty mas. This is the moment you've been waiting for - a full day of music, dancing, laughter and pure joy as we celebrate the spirit of Crop Over and create memories you'll never forget. ​​​​
DAY 7
Rest & Explore: Free Day
After an unforgettable week of dancng, celebrating and making memories that'll last a lifetime, today is yours.
Sleep in, enjoy your resort, spend the day at the beach, or explore Barbados at your own pace. Visit local shops, stopy by Rihanna's childhood home, or simply relax with a good meal and one last rum punch overlooking the Caribbean Sea. There's no schedule today - just one more opportunity to experience Barbados your way before heading home.
WHAT'S INCLUDED?
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7 nights stay on Barbados' South Coast
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Beachfront resort accommodations
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All-inclusive meals & drinks (for 02 Beach resort)
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Spacious one- and two-bedroom suites with full kitchens (Divi Southwinds)
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Steps from St. Lawrence Gap dining, bars, karaoke & nightlife
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Full Crop Over and Emancipation Day itinerary
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Ground transportation for all scheduled excursions
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Roundtrip airport transfer to/from resort
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A free day to rest, shop or spend as you wish
WHAT'S NOT INCLUDED?
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Airfare
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Meals & drinks (Divi Southwinds)
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Transportation outside of scheduled activities
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Travel insurance (strongly recommended)
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Cancellation insurance (available for purchase separately)
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Personal expenses including but not limited to incidentals, spa services, meals or beverages during free time, or other activities not explicitly mentioned
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Personal or medical insurance (recommended).
