Heritage Festival 2025 to showcase Tobago's resilience

TOBAGO Heritage Festival 2025 begins on July 1 with a Thanksgiving service at the St Patrick’s Anglican Church in Mt Pleasant. The theme for this year is: Time longer than twine.

Speaking with Newsday on June 30, Tobago Festivals Commission CEO Kern Cowan elaborated on the theme of the festival which is now in its 38th year.

“This theme speaks to the resilience and the strength of Tobagonians to withstand the many historical stresses and fights that we have gone through for this greatest little island on the planet, and how we have continued to stay resilient and to stay above the rest in terms of our heritage and our history. Time longer than twine sets the tone for a remembrance and a real connection to who we continue to be and how we remain resilient over time.”

Cowan said one can expect culturally rich productions and collaborations.

“I’m truly looking forward to the collaborations within the villages and what they have to portray and how we really and truly express ourselves.”

Tobago Heritage Festival schedule:

• July 1 – Thanksgiving service, St Patrick's Anglican Church, Mt Pleasant
• July 3 – Bicentennial celebrations, Assembly Legislature
• July 4 – Keeping literary traditions alive, Tobago Writers Guild – Virtual
• July 5 – Keeping literary traditions alive, Tobago Writers Guild – Virtual
• July 8 – Junior Heritage, Shaw Park Complex – 9am
• July 10 – Grand Opening Gala, Shaw Park Complex – 7pm
• July 11 – Heritage Food Fair, Scarborough Esplanade – 10am
• July 12 – Northside Passion, Castara – 11am
• July 12 – Keeping Literary Traditions Alive, Tobago Writers Guild, Scarborough Library
• July 15 – Folk Fiesta, Shaw Park Complex – 3pm
• July 15 – Keeping Literary Traditions Alive, Tobago writers Guild – Scarborough Library
• July 16 – We Tambrin Story 2, Hope Community Centre – 8pm
• July 17 – Keeping Literary Traditions Alive, Tobago Writers Guild – Scarborough Library
• July 17 – Youth Quake ... Anansi rides again, Shaw Park Complex – 6pm
• July 18 – Courtship codes ... the man come back, Golden Lane – 8pm
• July 19 – Tobago Ole Time Wedding, Moriah – 1pm
• July 20 – Games we used to play, Mason Hall – 9am
• July 21 – Natural Treasures Day, Charlotteville – 9am
• July 23 – Salaka Feast, Pembroke – 8pm
• July 24 – Les Coteaux – 8pm
• July 25 – Miss Tobago Heritage Personality Show, Shaw Park Complex – 6pm
• July 26 – Tobago Old Time Carnival, Plymouth – 4am
• July 26 – Heritage Calypso Monarch, Plymouth – 8pm
• July 27 – Buccoo Unveiled, Buccoo – 5am
• July 27 – Tobago Harvest, Speyside – 10am
• July 28 – Belmanna Riot, Roxborough – 10pm
• July 29 – Legacy of Africa, Bethel – 10am
• July 30 – Sea Festival, Black Rock – 6am
• August 1 – Emancipation Day re-enactment, Scarborough – 5pm