Crop Over is the Barbadian festival marking the traditional end of the sugar-cane harvest.
The celebration began on sugar plantations during the colonial period, when workers marked the completion of the annual crop. It later declined as Barbados’s sugar industry changed, but was revived in the 1970s as a major cultural festival.
Modern Crop Over combines concerts, calypso and soca competitions, art events, food, and parades. Its best-known finale is Grand Kadooment, a large costumed street parade held near the end of the festival season.
Crop Over is sometimes mistaken for a generic Caribbean carnival. Although it has carnival-style music and costumes, its name and historical identity come directly from Barbados’s sugar harvest. The festival usually takes place over several weeks in the summer, with events building toward the August finale.