Holidays and events
There are a number of public holidays that do not have a fixed date, but are based on the location of Easter. Easter takes place on the first Sunday that follows the first full moon after the beginning of spring. Ash Wednesday, the beginning of Lent, which ends on Holy Saturday, is 46 days before Holy Saturday. The date for Pentecost is then 50 days after Easter. The Corpus Christi festival is celebrated on the 2nd Thursday after Pentecost. On October 31, Protestants celebrate Reformation Day. The Halloween festival also takes place on this day.
| Date | Type of holiday |
| January 1 | New Year |
| 6th January | Feast of the Holy Three |
| March 12th to 19 | St. Patrick`s week |
| March April | Good Friday and Easter |
| 1st of May | Local fishing competition |
| first Monday in May | Labor Day |
| June 11 | Queen birthday parade |
| July 17th to 24 | Calabashi Festival |
| July 29th to 31 | Lookout Day Celebration (festival to remember the people’s African roots) |
| August 2 | Independence day |
| November | Literature festival |
| November | Montserrat Volcano Half Marathon |
| 24th of December | Christmas |
Source: Countryaah – Montserrat Holidays
St. Patrick`s Day
It may be astonishing why this Irish saint is celebrated here on a Caribbean island. But knowing that in 1678 half of the population of Montserrat were Irish Catholics, this astonishment will certainly resolve.
The Irish had fled to Montserrat from the other islands, mostly ruled by England, in order to escape religious persecution. Therefore, Montserrat is the only island outside of Ireland where St. Patrick’s Day is celebrated. In addition, on March 17th, the slave revolt of 1768 is commemorated.
Saint Patrick of Ireland lived from the end of the 4th century until March 17, 461. Ewar is a Christian missionary and is a national saint of Ireland. In addition, at the behest of Pope Celestine I – Pope from 422 to 432 – shortly before his death in 432, he was sent to Ireland as a bishop with a missionary mandate.
Montserrat: climate
Montserrat is located in the tropics with the appropriate climate. The average temperatures are between 22 ° and 32 ° degrees Celsius with a constant pleasant breeze from the sea and the mountains. But the seasonal fluctuations on Montserra are relatively small – however, the period from December to February is usually a bit cooler and drier. On the other hand, it is warmer between May and October, this time being considered hurricane season, and there is also heavier rainfall. The mean rainfall is between 1,250 and 2,000 mm, with more rain between July and November than during the rest of the year.
Montserrat: what to see, what to do
Attractions
After the devastating volcanic eruptions in 1995 and 1997, life on the Montserrat returned to normal, but only in the north of the island. Here you will find shops, businesses, restaurants and hotels again. The south, on the other hand, is mostly under a thick layer of volcanic ash and must not be entered, so all the sights in the south can no longer be visited, if they still exist.
Air Studios
Former Beatles producer George Martin – who lived on Montserrat for a while – founded Air Studios here in 1979.
Carry`s Bay Historical Site
Here the visitor will find the remains of an old fort, in which there are still some seaward directed cannons on carriages. Carry`s Bay is located in the northwest of the island a few kilometers south of Little Bay.
Montserrat Philatelic Bureau LTD
Tel.: 00664 – 492 – 2996
Email: [email protected]
www.montserratstampbureau.com
Montserrat Culture Center
Little Bay
Tel.: 00664 – 492 – 4242
Email: [email protected]
The Montserrat National Trust
Tel.: 00664 – 491 – 3086
Email: [email protected]
www.montserratnationaltrust.ms
Montserrat Volcano Observatory
At the Montserrat Volcano Observatory you can learn a lot about volcanoes in general and the local Soufriere Hills volcano in particular.
Soufriere Hills Volcano
From the north of the island there is a good view of the Soufriere Hills volcano.
Rendezvous Beach
Rendezvous Beach is the only white sand beach that has been preserved. It’s near Little Bay.
activities
Snorkeling, diving
The coasts of the North Island are very suitable for snorkeling and diving. In total, you can choose from around 30 different excellent diving spots.
- Green Monkey Dive Shop Little BayTel.: 0064 – 491 – 2628
Email: [email protected]
- Scuba Montserrat Little BayTel.: 0064 – 491 – 7807
Email: [email protected];
Kayaking
Sports excursions in a kayak are also becoming increasingly popular. In this way you can, for example, explore the almost untouched coastline on the east side of the island – even under the guidance of an experienced guide. However, the trips from Little Bay to the nearby Rendezvous Bay beach – the only white sandy beach on the island – are particularly popular. The kayaks can be rented at the two mentioned diving stations.
Fishing
A boat trip for fishing is also recommended. You can catch fish here as well as in shallow water from the shore. In addition to the Gren Monkey Dive Shop, deep-sea fishing tours are also offered by the following companies:
- Bruce Farara Tel.: 0064 – 491 – 8802Email: [email protected]
- Garlton O’Garro Tel.: 0064 – 491 – 8902Danny Sweeny
Tel.: 0064 – 491 – 5645
Email: [email protected].
International Open Fishing Tournament
This fishing competition – with participants from all over the world – takes place every year in October. Hiking There are a number of hiking trails with different levels of difficulty. In any case, you should buy a hiking map at the tourist information office or hire a guide. The region around the Center Hills is particularly worth seeing because of the rich vegetation and numerous animals. If you are lucky, you may come across Montserrat’s national bird – the oriole. On the “Cot Trail”, hikers can encounter the island’s cultural heritage and also take a look at the exclusion zone around the Soufriere Hills volcano.
The Runaway Gaut “leads past a fountain. If the hiker has smoked its fresh spring water, according to a legend, an insatiable desire to come back to the island should come over him.
Montserrat Volcano Half Marathon
On December 5th, 2009, this half marathon was held for the first time. The run is part of the multi-week Montserrat Christmas festivities. Within the half marathon over a distance of 13.1 miles there is a fun run over a distance of 5 miles.
Football
Montserrat has its own national football team and is a member of FIFA – so the island nation can take part in international competitions such as the World Cup. However, due to the “performance” of its players, the country is one of the worst in the world. But that doesn’t change the residents’ enthusiasm for football. A film report entitled “The Other Final” describes the 2002 World Cup.
Houses of worship
Most of the residents of Montserrat profess Christianity. Churches on Montserrat in alphabetical order:
- Anglican Episcopalian Peter/Salem/St.Johns
- Bethel Apostolic Assemble (Evangelical) Cudjoe head
- Brades Pentecostal (Evangelical) Brades
- Church of Christ Woodlands
- Church of God of Prophecy (Evangelical) Johns
- Emmanuel Apostolic Church (Evangelical) Johns
- Jehovah Witness Peters
- Metthodist Church Salem/Cavalla Hill/Judy Piece
- Saint Martin de Porres Roman Catholic Church
- Seventh-Day Adventist Johns/Salem
- Shiloh Pentecostal (Evangelical) Salem
- Patrick`s Catholic Church Look Out Village
- Wesleyan Holiness (Evangelical) Peter and Davy Hill
