There are a lot of outdoor events in Barbados, because the weather is great, and it’s the best way to get large crowds together for a reasonable price. The Prime Minister’s official residence, Ilaro Court, plays host to several family events during the year (his view is that it belongs to the people and he’s just a caretaker), while Farley Hill National Park in the east hosts reggae, jazz and other music festivals. Whichever venue you are going to, you’ll need to be prepared. Here are some of the must-have items when attending an outdoor event in Barbados.
- A chair — such as a collapsible picnic chair, chairs with leg rests, deckchairs, cushions and the like. If you are there all day you will need something to sit on.
- An umbrella — while an ordinary umbrella may do the trick, consider a golf umbrella to make sure that you are well protected from the sun, or a beach umbrella so that you can plant it in the ground and not have to hold it. Raincoats are another good idea.
- Food — I am amazed at the number of people I see with full picnics at these events – and I do mean full! Of course, food is always on sale, but it doesn’t hurt to bring your own and have it handy.
- Wet wipes — because you can guarantee that someone will brush past your chair and spill a drink over you.
- Sunscreen — it’s hot, need I say more?
- Spare shoes — because if it rains and you have parked in a field (which you often do with these events) you will end up taking half of it home with you (and bring a plastic bag to put the dirty ones in as well).
- Money — because you are bound to have to buy something.
- Patience — because there’s a lot of hanging around between and sometimes you have to queue for a long time to get hold of your choice of food or drink.
- Sense of humour — this get you through the times when you are bumped and jostled.
- A rucksack or money belt to make it easy to keep track of stuff
- A blanket that you can put on the ground to rest your stuff once it doesn’t get muddy and dirty.
Take all of these with you and you’ll have a great time soaking up the atmosphere at events like Jazz on the Hill.
It had been a while since I’d been to 
Be warned, entering a limestone cave is a damp experience, because the same limestone that filters the island’s water drops that water on your head, but you won’t get too wet and may even enjoy it. The tour is short but informative and you get the chance to see natural limestone formations up close (but not to touch them so you don’t damage the ecosystem). The cave administrators look after the cave by switching on lights only when needed with a handy zapper. You can take photos throughout the trip and there are two places where you can get out and stretch your legs.
