At the start of August, Vincentians simultaneously celebrate their national holiday, Emancipation Day, and the symbol of their emancipation, the humble breadfruit, in the St. Vincent Breadfruit Festival. Across the span of this month, both locals and visitors pay homage to this superfood.
The breadfruit, not native to the region, was transported to the islands as a cheap source of food for the resident slaves. Over time the locals have redefined and destigmatised the fruits’ complex history, instilling the fruit with a unique and paradoxical legacy. The versatile breadfruit is now synonymous with St. Vincent, and the locals know every which way to prepare it. Boiled, roasted, steamed, baked, or fried, the breadfruit is a treasured part of their heritage and even forms part of their national dish - roasted breadfruit and fried jack fish. The festival is a chance to support the local farms and kitchens as they create innumerable delicious breadfruit dishes, utilising their 25 known different varieties. Not the least bit limited to eating, the festival re-educates through Soca, poetry and dancing. Come commemorate St. Vincent's greatest love, the breadfruit!
With lots of breadfruits consumed over August, time to put that energy to good use and hike across to Dark View Falls, two fantastic waterfalls located in the Northwest of Saint Vincent. Across the quaint bamboo bridge, through lush jungles towered by bamboo and elephant grasses, lies the first enchanting waterfall. Change into your swimsuits and feel natures invigorating head massage, as you bathe in the surrounding pools. The second waterfall is a bit of a climb, but worth every step. Don’t be deceived by the name, the falls are an enlightening and surreal experience.
In August, St. Vincent & the Grenadines has an average temperature of 28.5°C, with highs of 31°C and lows of 26°C. There is high chance of rainfall with an average of 20 days of rain in the month. August is part of hurricane season; however, the islands lie in the southernmost part of the hurricane belt and so occur less frequently.