PHILIPSBURG, St. Maarten (Dec. 21, 2009) - St. Maarten's 2010 calendar of events is filled with activities, celebrations and fun for all from the St. Maarten Classic Yacht Regatta to Roadrunners Around the Island Relay.
"With all the activities and celebrations, guests traveling to St. Maarten will always have a feel for the culture and heritage while vacationing on the island," said Regina LaBega, Director of Tourism for Dutch St. Maarten Tourist Bureau.
The following is the 2010 St. Maarten calendar of events which has been put together by associations, restaurants and clubs to bring the island alive.
January
1 News Year's Day
2 New Year's celebrations on the boardwalk
12 Every Tuesday night, January through April beginning at 6 pm, Grand-Case Village comes alive with events, street entertainment, music and fun. Guests can walk through the closed-off streets and marvel at the shows, dancing and art galleries on display.
21 - 24 St. Maarten / St. Martin Classic Yacht Regatta
25 Roadrunners 10K and 5K Run
February
14 Valentine's Day
14 Carnival Celebration's on the French side (parades, election of Carnival Queen and music)
16 Mardi Gras Children's Parade (French side)
25 Ash Wednesday
28 Warm up race for the Heineken Regatta
March
2 Budget Marine Match Racing Cup 10 am - 4 pm
4 Grill Commodores Cup
4 - 7 30th St. Maarten Heineken Regatta
5 The Race Around the Island Regatta (for most classes from Simpson Bay to Great Bay)
6 Most classes race from Simpson Bay to Marigot
8 Simpson Bay Regatta, International Women's Day
15 Roadrunners Splash n Spirit Biathlon
17 St. Patrick's Day
20 Multi Class Regatta
22 St. Maarten National Day of Trees
23 Treaty of Concordia (this day represents how the island was divided between French and Dutch)
April
TBA DJ OutKast 2nd Annual Black & White Party
5 Palm Sunday
10 Good Friday (stores closed)
12 Easter Sunday (stores closed), Roadrunners Hike Easter Hash
13 Easter Monday (stores closed)
15 - May 3 41st Anniversary St. Maarten Carnival
22 Earth Day activities
30 Grand Carnival Parade, Queen's birthday (stores closed)
May
1 Labour Day (Holiday)
9 Fish Day (held at French Cul de Sac, local entertainment, and open stands with local dishes throughout the entire day)
10 Mother's Day
15 - 16 Captain Oliver's & Carib Beer Regatta (monocoques and multicoques sailing around the island in a festive and competitive environment)
16 5th Annual Boardwalk Mas
17 Roadrunners Lagoon Half Marathon Run
19 - 21 8th Annual SMART St. Maarten / St. Martin regional tradeshow
30 ENNIA Kids Bike Race
June
TBA Enviro Week (week long events on environment awareness with workshops, speakers and events)
4 - 6 7th Annual St. Maarten Book Fair
12 - 13 Heineken Light Caribbean LASER Championships (a two day sailing event organized by the St. Maarten Yacht Club and the Caribbean Sailing Association)
21 Father's Day
July
1 Emancipation Day (day of remembrance for the abolishment of slavery in 1863), Abolishment of Slavery, Open House in the Museum (free admission into the museum)
2 - 4 Soualiga Drum Fest
14 Bastille Day French National Holiday (French side)
21 Family Day at Grand-Case Village (families gather to celebrate their village and pay respects to the abolishment of slavery, the day is celebrated with a religious ceremony followed by the raising of the flag, races and traditional games and musical entertainment)
August
22 ENNIA Kids Bike Race at Port De Plaisance
September
18 Coastal Clean Up
27 World Tourism Day
October
4 COYC Soualiga Kayak Challenge
18 Roadrunners Fatum 10K and 3K Run
25 Roadrunners Breast Cancer Awareness Run
31 Halloween
November
1 All Saints Day
2 - 9 Tourism Awareness Week
2 Caribbean Tourism Day
11 St. Maarten / St. Martin Day (stores closed)
11 Roadrunners Around the Island Relay Run
25 Day for elimination of violence against women
25 'Santa Claus' House' - A private home in Cripple Gate opens to the public for entertainment, Christmas food and spirits
December
4 3K Telethon Team Relay Run
4 20th Anniversary of Miss Caraibes Hibiscus (annual international beauty contest for all countries of the Caribbean and America)
6 Thanksgiving Service
11 Brass Band Christmas Concert
15 Kingdom Day
19 & 26 Roadrunners Green House 7K Run
25 Christmas Day (stores are closed)
26 Boxing Day
26 DJ Pauly and the Mix Master Crew Presents BEACH BASH on Mullet Bay Beach
26 Pan in Paradise, folkloric steel pan concert
31 New Years Eve - live entertainment on boardwalk and midnight fireworks
St. Maarten
St. Maarten is truly a unique island in several ways. It is the smallest island in the world to be shared by two nations, the Netherlands and France, creating a European-influenced vibe with a Caribbean flair. St. Maarten is also the culinary capital of the Caribbean with an eclectic array of elegantly-perfected culinary fusion that keeps "food lovers" returning each year. And with more than 300 restaurants, the island has something for everyone.
Located at the northern end of the Lesser Antilles, the island has 37 breathtaking beaches and is home to many historical and family-oriented attractions including the vastly abundant treasure of rare animal and plant species at the St. Maarten Zoological and Botanical Garden. The historically-pivotal Fort Amsterdam, the St. Maarten Museum and the picturesque and symbolic Mount Concordia, where a treaty and harmonious peace was forged between the island's two cultures more then 350 years ago, provide other unique attractions.
The Dutch capital of Philipsburg offers duty-free shopping and a bustling city atmosphere in the heart of the Caribbean, while nightlife activities provide endless entertainment at the island's 14 casinos and numerous nightclubs. For water enthusiasts scuba diving and snorkeling facilities are located throughout the island, which boasts a wide array of marine biodiversity and unique underwater dive sites such as the H.M.S. Proselyte, a notable British frigate which sank in St. Maarten's waters in 1801.
Accommodations are varied with many designed to exceed the expectations of even the most discerning traveler and include elegant private villas, family oriented resorts, quaint cottages and luxury spa resorts. Air service is available to Princess Juliana International Airport from a number of U.S. and Canadian cities as well as Europe, South America and the Caribbean.
I love St. Martin, I had so much fun the last time my hubby and I went there. I found a great guide that goes into details about packing,
http://stmartin-guide.info/
I always forget things, and this site helped me make a list and itinerary for our trip! I cant wait to go there again, we had so much fun:)
Posted on July 6, 2010 1:55 PM