The Holetown festival is a family attraction celebrating the anniversary of the arrival of the first permanent settlers in Barbados on February 17, 1627. The European settlers originally named the location of their landing Jamestown. Now known as Holetown, the village hosts a week of continuous activity during the third week in February. The festival has been celebrated for the past 27 years. An atmosphere of the old and the new is combined with folk and gospel singing. You may even hear medieval hymns. The St James parish church is a popular centre of activity. Many of the religious treasures are on display and the space is filled with flowers.  In the evening, watch the Royal and Mounted Police forces as they perform the floodlit Tattoo and night marches for the torch-lit crowd.  Other activities included poetry, drama, side walk art shows, sports, games, street parades, local handicrafts markets and the popular Queen of the Festival Pageant.  Holetown is just north of Bridgetown on the west coast, within easy reach for most visitors! Click here for more festivals.