Our at-a-glance round-up of events near you this quater...

13 Dec - 2 Jan
St Kitts & Nevis National Carnival - The great thing about the St Kitts & Nevis National Carnival is that it runs through Christmas and New Year and is both a holiday festival and celebration of national pride. Highlights include pageants, j’ouvert music, food fairs and street parties. What a great time of year to join in the fun!

11 - 14 Nov
Heineken Regatta, Curaçao - As well as spectacular sailing, this Regatta will offer a large entertainment area featuring activities such as water sport demonstrations, live music, international artists and the Heineken Regatta Village. For the sailors, the regatta will start on Thursday with the spectacular opening party at Villa Maria, and on Saturday night the Grammy-winning Big Yard recording artist Shaggy (Mr Luva Luva himself) will be the main act. All races can be watched from the coastline and are a real spectacle. • For information go to www.heinekenregattacuracao.com

11 - 14 Nov
Anguilla’s Tranquility Jazz festival - Once a year the normally serene and languid island of Anguilla is transformed into a paragon of culture and music as the Tranquility Jazz Festival takes hold of the entire island embracing the local population and visitors alike. This year’s Festival is the continuation of a tradition of excellence that has been honed to perfection by the energetic and imaginative team of Festival Coordinators who toil tirelessly behind the scenes.

19 - 22 Nov
Paradise Jam, St Thomas - The US Virgin Islands’ Paradise Jam offers men’s and women’s college basketball teams from America a chance for early season competition in an exotic island setting. Since the tournament’s inception in 2000, many of USA’s finest men’s and women’s teams have converged on St Thomas to test their skills and enjoy some fun in the sun. Why not go along and catch them in action. • For more information go to www.paradisejam.com

29 - 31 Oct
14th Annual World Creole Music Festival, Dominica  - Widely seen as one of the few truly indigenous music events in the Caribbean, Dominica’s World Creole Music Festival just gets bigger and better each year. For 2010 it has been announced that Jah Cure, one of reggae’s most revered voices, will be among the acts performing – another coup for the festival organisers.  • For more information, go to www.wcmfdominica.com

PLUS More important dates not to miss!
• October 1-31 - Sea and Learn, Conservation topics at Saba
• October 23-24 - Rockstone Fish Festival, Rockstone, Linden, Guyana
• October 25-29 - 17th Annual Florida Caribbean Cruise Association Conference and Trade Show, St Lucia
• Oct 31 - Antigua Open Bridge Tournament
• Oct 31 - ‘Jubilation’, 6th Annual World Gospel Festival, Antigua
• November 4-6 - International Literary Festival, Jolly Beach Resort and Spa, Antigua
• November 12-14 - 1st Annual Ocean Breeze Music Festival and Conference, Ffreys Bay and Fort James, Antigua
• Nov 22-Dec 19 - Atlantic Rally for Cruisers, starts in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, finishes at Rodney Bay, St Lucia
• Nov 28 - Nevis Off-road Triathlon
• Nov 28 - 26th Fort-de-France International Half-Marathon, Martinique
• Dec 6-11 - 9th Annual Antigua Charter Yacht Show, Falmouth Harbour, Antigua
• Dec 17-19  - 3rd  Annual Carriacou Parang Festival, Grenada