Calendar of Events

New Year's Day - Maskarada 2019

Maskarada, on New Year’s Day, originates from Bonaire’s Spanish founding. Completely disguised, including speech, locals from each village dress and arrive early in groups at the Lt. Governor’s home to dance and play outside wishing the family a happy New Year (“Bon Aña”). The Lt. Governor thanks them with a bottle of rum, held and dispensed by a designated member.

Taste of Bonaire Event 2019 (Carnival Edition)

At the Taste of Bonaire, visitors will have the opportunity to experience food, culture, local handicrafts and all things offered on Bonaire. On top of that, visitors will have the opportunity to taste signature dishes of well-known restaurants offered at special prices @ Wilhelmina Park Start at 6pm.

Children Carnival Parade In Rincon 2019

The district of Rincon demonstrates its Carnival spirit with the presentation of its own children parade.

Cultural Event 'Nos Zjilea' February 2019

Cultural Event ‘Nos Zjilea’

This event has a fusion of local arts & crafts, plants & vegetables and educational presentations. Enjoy the delicious food while listening to some of the best local musicians as they play live at cultural park Mangazina di Rei located at the east-entrance of Rincon.

The event is from 8am till 2pm.

Grand Carnival parade In Rincon 2019

This is a prelude to the Grand Carnival Parade. Local musicians create an exceptional ambiance in Rincon by playing their latest carnival hits to the delight of hundreds of marchers dressed in beautiful costumes.

Grand Carnival Parade in Playa 2019

The largest carnival parade is the Grand Parade through Kralendijk held on Sunday before Ash Wednesday. This parade is filled with unforgettable music, spectacular floats and original costumes decorated with colorful stones, sequins and feathers, creating a unique display.

Carnival Monday 2019 (Official holiday)

Old Mask Youth Parade and burning of King Momito. The end of the carnival season is marked with a parade ending in Kralendijk followed by the symbolic burning of “King Momito” which takes place on the parking lot of the stadium. Starts at 5pm.

Old Mask Parade and Burning of King Momo 2019

Carnival comes to an official end on the eve of Ash Wednesday with the burning of ‘King Momo”. This event takes place in Kralendijk. Starts at 7pm.

Taste of Bonaire Event 2019 (Culture Edition)

At the Taste of Bonaire, visitors will have the opportunity to experience food, culture, local handcrafts and all things offered on Bonaire. On top of that, visitors will have the opportunity to taste signature dishes of well-known restaurants offered at special prices @ Wilhelmina Park. Starts at 6pm.

Dive Friends Quarterly Clean up April 2019

Check in for volunteers will begin at 9:30am at North Pier, with a briefing for all volunteers at 10:00 am. Please don't forget your certification cards (if we don't already have yours on file). We'll be cleaning up around the pier(as under is strictly forbidden at this time due to safety) it is a hot spot for fishing line and rubbish! Please make sure to have your BMP tags along with you, as is required.

Removing fishing line can be a tricky process, so please bring along your dive knife or shears. You can contact Sea Turtle Conservation Bonaire for more information about their turtle shaped line collectors. cepa@bonaireturtles.org

Non-divers are also needed to help with counting and logging the items removed from the water for PADI Project AWARE Dive Against Debris. The counting and logging will be conducted at Yellow Submarine after the dive.

At 6:00 pm, we'll be hosting a potluck BBQ for our volunteers at our Hamlet Oasis location. It’s a potluck, so please bring a snack, side-dish or dessert to share and we'll provide the main course and one beverage.

Hope to see you there! If you have any questions, please call 717-2929.

Easter Monday Simadan 2019 (Harvest) Festival Rincon

Simadan stems from Bonaire’s slave days and celebrates the growing season’s harvest (typically March/April). The festive harvest celebration in Bonaire varies from other places, perhaps, as a direct result of the way slaves on Bonaire were treated.

Bonaire’s slaves grew crops for owners and some were permitted personal crops as well, a “liberty” not usually afforded to slaves elsewhere. Personal gains gave Bonairean slaves reason to celebrate at Simadan, while slaves in Curacao, for example, witnessed harvest going only to the owners and lamented instead.

After Bonaire’s slavery abolition in 1863, most slaves received land. Together, families took turns helping to harvest and celebrating the crops throughout Simadan. Similarly today, families and friends gather to help harvest sorghum and maize, while the farmer supplies food and drink (rum) for the party.

King's Birthday 2019 (Local Holiday)

An official government ceremony in honor of King Willem Alexander. Followed by numerous events and celebrations in Kralendijk.

Cultural Event 'Nos Zjilea' April 2019

Cultural Event ‘Nos Zjilea’

This event has a fusion of local arts & crafts, plants & vegetables and educational presentations. Enjoy the delicious food while listening to some of the best local musicians as they play live at cultural park Mangazina di Rei located at the east-entrance of Rincon.

The event is from 8am till 2pm.

Labor Day 2019 (Legal Holiday)

Labor Day (Legal Holiday) No Event. Shops, Banks and Offices are closed. Simadan Parade “Chana y Doei” @ Kralendijk.

Music event Wilhelmina Park

Popular Classical and Antillean music from the Kwintet Curaçao, and a star from the musical world, Chaira. A performance by a very famous Bonairean group from Rincon, Agrupashon Tutti Frutti, with equally famous songs with a surprising ensemble.

The Wilhelmina Park is festively lit with cozy seats. Event is from 7pm to 10.30pm.

Reefiesta

Reef Renewal Foundation Bonaire (formerly Coral Restoration Foundation Bonaire) is hosting an event in celebration of our coral reefs for the 4th year in row, this year on World Reef Day, June 1st. This event, Reefiesta, aims to bring divers and ocean conservation-minded individuals together to promote coral reef restoration and ocean conservation. World Reef Day is a call to action for people around the world to make simple choices today to save our reefs’ future. To do our part on Bonaire, Reef Renewal Bonaire is asking you to come dive to help their restoration efforts.

Participants do not need any previous coral restoration experience and only need to be dive certified to join. Dives will take place all day - by boat and by shore - and divers will be led by experienced divers from Reef Renewal Bonaire and its Dive Shop Members as they outplant corals and work in our nurseries. Reefiesta will end with a sunset celebration on the beach thanking all of the volunteers for their hard work.

The event is a free, educational event with the goal of spreading awareness for the restoration and conservation of Bonaire's coral reefs.
For more information about the event and to sign-up, visit www.reefrenewalbonaire.org/reefiesta.

Mix Slalom Race

Jibe CIty is organizing a windsurf slalom race! The event takes place on the 2nd of June at Jibe City! The sign up will be on the 31st of May at Jibe City from 1 till 4 PM!

Taste of Bonaire Event 2019 (Talent Edition)

At the Taste of Bonaire, visitors will have the opportunity to experience food, culture, local handicrafts and all things offered on Bonaire. On top of that, visitors will have the opportunity to taste signature dishes of well-known restaurants offered at special prices @ Wilhelmina Park Starts at 6pm.

Taste of Bonaire Event 2019 (Recycle Edition)

At the Taste of Bonaire, visitors will have the opportunity to experience food, culture, local handicrafts and all things offered on Bonaire. On top of that, visitors will have the opportunity to taste signature dishes of well-known restaurants offered at special prices @ Wilhelmina Park Starts at 6pm.

Bonaire Flag Day 2019 (Legal Holiday)

A local holiday where the entire island of Bonaire celebrates the existence of the island. Most of the time it is held within a chosen town on Bonaire where locals and visitors dance, eat, drink on the streets with several entertainment bands. The Motorcycle event is also one of the major highlights of this day where over 400 participants with their motorcycles are flown in from around the world and take a tour of the island as part of the national Flag Day ceremony.

Taste of Bonaire Event 2019 (Tourism Day)

At the Taste of Bonaire, visitors will have the opportunity to experience food, culture, local handicrafts and all things offered on Bonaire. On top of that, visitors will have the opportunity to taste signature dishes of well-known restaurants offered at special prices @ Wilhelmina Park Starts at 6pm.

Swim to Klein Bonaire 2019

Youth Center Jong Bonaire is organizing its annual fundraising event Swim to Klein Bonaire. The event will be held as every year at Eden Beach Resort (starting point). The event will take place on October 6th, 2019 starting at 9am. Tickets are available at: Jong Bonaire and at Spice Beach. Adults pay: $15 and kids under 12 pay $10. 

Bonaire Sailing Regatta 2019

The 52nd edition of the Bonaire Regatta takes place from 9th-12th October 2019. During this event the bay will be filled with sails from all kinds of sailing divisions, all competing for their class championship.

Taste of Bonaire WELLNESS 2019

At the Taste of Bonaire Wellness, visitors will have the opportunity to experience Healthy Food, Local grown products and all things wellness related offered on Bonaire. On top of that, visitors will have the opportunity to participate interactive activities such as Zumba, Yoga, Etc. @ Wilhelmina Park Starts at 5pm till 10pm.

Bonaire Christmas Shopping Night 2019

At the Bonaire Christmas Shopping Night, visitors will have the opportunity to experience amazing shopping with discount in most of the stores in Kaya Grandi and Kaya Grandi adjacent. On top of that, visitors will have the opportunity to see the elderly Christmas themed parade. And also local Christmas dishes will be available in Kaya Grandi and Kaya Grandi adjacent starts at 6pm till 10pm.