Calendar of Events
2020 Events
January
January 1, 2020 New Year's Day - Maskarada
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.
January 18, 2020 Dive Friends Bonaire - Quarterly Clean Up Dive Q1 2020
Check in for volunteers will begin at 9:30 am at Bonaire Sailing School, 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 from the Fisherman’s pier South, along the harbor front. It is a hot spot for fishing line and rubbish! Please make sure to have your BMP tickets 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.
For any questions, please call 717-2929.
January 25, 2020 CULTURAL EVENT 'NOS ZJILEA' January 2020
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.
February
February 15, 2020 Children Carnival Parade In Rincon
The neighborhood of Rincon demonstrates its Carnival spirit with the presentation of its own children parade.
February 16, 2020 Children Carnival Parade In Kralendijk
Children Grand Parade in Kralendijk includes all of the island’s different carnival groups. Hundreds of children enjoy the opportunity to show off their dancing skills and colorful costumes.
February 21, 2020 Teener Carnival Parade In Kralendijk
Teener Parade in Kralendijk includes different carnival groups of the Bonaire high school. Teenagers have the opportunity to show off their dancing skills and colorful costumes during this evening.
February 22, 2020 Gran Carnival parade In Rincon
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 hundreds of marchers dressed in beautiful costumes.
February 23, 2020 Gran Carnival Parade in Playa
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.
February 24, 2020 Carnival Monday
Children 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.
February 25, 2020 Grand Parade and Burning of King Momito
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.
February 29, 2020 CULTURAL EVENT 'NOS ZJILEA' February 2020
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.
March
March 7, 2020 Taste of Bonaire Event (Ban Topa 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 vendors offered at special prices @ Wilhelmina Park. Starts at 6pm.
Visit WebsiteMarch 28, 2020 CULTURAL EVENT 'NOS ZJILEA' March 2020
Cancelled
April
April 10, 2020 Good Friday 2020
Legal Holiday
April 13, 2020 Easter Monday Simadan (Harvest) Festival Rincon
Cancelled
April 25, 2020 CULTURAL EVENT 'NOS ZJILEA' April 2020
Cancelled
April 27, 2020 King's Birthday (Official Holiday)
Festivities Cancelled
April 30, 2020 Dia di Rincon
Festivities Cancelled
May
May 1, 2020 Labor Day (Official Holiday)
Labor Day (Official Holiday) No Event. Businesses are Closed.
May 10, 2020 Open Day Washington Park
Open day Washington Slagbaai National Park.
May 21, 2020 Ascension Holiday
Legal holiday.
May 30, 2020 CULTURAL EVENT 'NOS ZJILEA' May 2020
Cancelled
June
June 27, 2020 CULTURAL EVENT 'NOS ZJILEA' June 2020
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.
July
July 25, 2020 CULTURAL EVENT 'NOS ZJILEA' July 2020
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.
August
August 1, 2020 Taste of Bonaire Event (Summer & 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 vendors offered at special prices @ Wilhelmina Park. Start at 6pm.
August 29, 2020 CULTURAL EVENT 'NOS ZJILEA' August 2020
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.
September
September 5, 2020 Real taste of Bonaire
Real taste of Bonaire; Festival di Kabritu @ Washington Slagbaai National Park.
September 6, 2020 Bonaire Flag Day (Official 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.
September 26, 2020 CULTURAL EVENT 'NOS ZJILEA' September 2020
Cancelled
September 27, 2020 World Tourism Day 2020
On this special day, to make our youth more aware of what is really important for Bonaire, provides the Tourism Corporation Bonaire a booklet to all the elementary schools. Topics in this books every year again varies, as the tourism industry has a great variety. Tourism Corporation Bonaire hopes in this way to get locals growing up interested in the industry.
October
October 4, 2020 Swim to Klein Bonaire 2020
Cancelled
October 14-17, 2020 Bonaire Sailing Regatta
Cancelled
October 31, 2020 CULTURAL EVENT 'NOS ZJILEA' October 2020
Cancelled
November
November 18-19, 2020 Adopt a Dive Site Clean Up
Dive Friends Bonaire has adopted all 6 house reefs. We clean all adopted sites at least once a month. Divers are welcome to help out and leave the ocean a little cleaner.
Monthly schedule
1st Wednesday of the month Hamlet Oasis | The Cliff
1st Thursday of the month Dive Inn | Chacha Beach
2nd Wednesday of the month Delfins Beach | Delfins Reef
2nd Thursday of the month Gooddive | Something Special
3rd Wednesday of the month Yellow Submarine | Yellow Submarine
4th Wednesday of the month Sand Dollar | Bari Reef
Visit WebsiteNovember 20 - December 4, 2020 Instructor Development Course
Dive Friends Bonaire has a PADI Course Director on site. For everyone who would like to upgrade their skills to the next professional level, this is the course! The Instructor Development Course (IDC) is made up of two parts – the Assistant Instructor (AI) course and the Open Water Scuba Instructor (OWSI) program. Most dive professionals complete the entire IDC and go on to attend an Instructor Examination (IE), which is the final step to earn a PADI Instructor certification. Successfully completing just the AI course results in a PADI Assistant Instructor qualification.
For more information: https://www.divefriendsbonaire.com/
Visit WebsiteNovember 28, 2020 CULTURAL EVENT 'NOS ZJILEA' November 2020
Cancelled
December
December 19, 2020 Bonaire Christmas Shopping Night/ Fiesta di Bari
Cancelled
December 25, 2020 Christmas Day 2020
Goverment office and businesses are closed.
December 26, 2020 Boxing Day 2020
Government offices and most businesses are closed.
December 26, 2020 CULTURAL EVENT 'NOS ZJILEA' December 2020
Cancelled