Curacao right now
What's on in Curacao
The warmest month of the year on average, and the run-up to Curacao North Sea Jazz Festival, the island’s biggest annual concert weekend, held in early September at the World Trade Center. Curacao Pride closes the month out, a week of parties, boat trips and beach events across Punda and Otrobanda that runs into the first days of October.
Punda Vibes
Every Thursday evening
Punda, Willemstad
Punda’s standing Thursday night out, run by the Downtown Management Organization. The tourist board’s own listing describes music, shopping and drinks at the many outdoor bars in the heart of the district, a different theme most weeks with performances by local artists and groups, and a fireworks show at 8:15. It is weekly, so it needs no planning beyond keeping a Thursday evening loose, but programming does shift, so check the listing for the week you are there.
More about Punda VibesCuracao Pride
September 27 to October 3, 2026
Willemstad, mainly Punda and Otrobanda
The island’s annual LGBTQ+ pride week, now in its 14th edition, spread across venues in Punda and Otrobanda rather than concentrated in one place. The organizers expect up to 3,000 people at the parade and the week draws a real international crowd, so Willemstad hotels fill for it. The dates below come from the organizers; the full programme and venue list firms up in the weeks beforehand.
More about Curacao PrideKLM Curacao Marathon
November 28 to 29, 2026
Start and finish in Willemstad
The island’s big running weekend, with a 5K run or walk on the Saturday afternoon and the full marathon, half marathon and 10K on the Sunday morning. The course follows the waterfront and crosses both the Queen Emma pontoon bridge and the Juliana bridge, which the organizers put at 185 feet above the water. Roads through the historic centre close in stages on the Sunday morning, so it is worth knowing about even if you are not running.
More about KLM Curacao MarathonDineOut Week Curacao
An 11-day window, dates TBA (the first edition ran June 25 to July 5, 2025)
Island-wide, restaurants across Curacao
The island’s set-menu restaurant week: fixed-price two-course lunches and three-course dinners at participating restaurants, from beach clubs to fine dining. The first edition ran June 25 to July 5, 2025 with more than 35 restaurants taking part. The organizers have confirmed a 2026 edition of 11 days but have not published the dates, so treat it as a thing to watch for rather than something to book a trip around.
More about DineOut Week CuracaoChristmas Day
December 25, 2026
Island-wide
Church services, family gatherings and community events across the island. No single official island-wide schedule is published this far ahead.
New Year's Eve into Dande season
December 31, 2026 into early January 2027
Island-wide, especially Willemstad
Extensive fireworks island-wide, followed by the Dande tradition: musicians going house to house with New Year blessings into early January. No official venue/time program is published this far ahead.
Curacao Carnival (Tumba Festival, Grand Parade)
Late January into February 2027 (dates TBA, Ash Wednesday 2027 falls February 10)
Willemstad and island-wide
Weeks of Tumba Festival music competitions, jump-ups and parades building to the Grand Carnival Parade ahead of Ash Wednesday. The organizing foundation FDKK had not published an official 2027 schedule as of August 2026; our Carnival 2027 guide tracks what is confirmed versus pattern.
More about Curacao Carnival (Tumba Festival, Grand Parade)Seu harvest parade (Marcha di Seu)
Easter Monday, March 29, 2027, by tradition (dates TBA)
Willemstad and surroundings
The island’s harvest procession, held on Easter Monday: participants in traditional agricultural dress moving through the streets behind drums and tambu music, marking the end of the harvest in a tradition older than almost anything else on the calendar. It is one of the most genuinely local things a visitor can walk into on Curacao. Easter Monday 2027 falls on March 29, but neither the organizers nor the tourist board had published a 2027 date, route or start time as of this writing, so confirm locally before setting out.
More about Seu harvest parade (Marcha di Seu)King's Day (Koningsdag)
April 27, 2027
Island-wide
Curacao observes this Kingdom-of-the-Netherlands holiday alongside the rest of the Dutch Caribbean, a Dutch-orange note across the island.
We keep this list current from the island. Dates are shown as official where confirmed; recurring and annual events whose 2026 dates aren't published yet are clearly marked “dates TBA.” Always double-check the exact day before you build your trip around it.