If you’ve seen pictures of the gorgeous Rihanna, a native of Barbados, dressed in huge feathers with lots of glitter and crystals galore, then you may be more familiar with this amazing festival than you thought.

Crop Over is a 3 month long festival that has been around for over 200 years. It originally started as a celebration to end the sugarcane season. The last day of Crop Over is known as Kadooment Day, which is a grand carnival parade.

Picture thousands of people dressed in beautiful feathered costumes, dancing to soca, and drinking rum punch, while having the time of their lives. That pretty much sums up Kadooment Day.

So, if your moves are a little rusty and you’ve never listened to Soca music; you definitely want to go ahead and start listening to the latest Soca mixtapes and learning how to "wind di waist gyal." Trust me, you won’t regret it!

This summer, I actually got the opportunity to participate in Crop Over and meet Rihanna. I cannot wait to share the details with you and possibly take you all with me next year.

Here are a few things you need to know about my experience that will help you prepare for Crop Over 2020, or you can just live vicariously through me!

When is the best time to go?

I know you’re probably thinking, “girl are you crazy? I can’t take off of work for 3 months!” Honey, neither can I, so the best time to go is about 3-5 days before Kadooment Day.

How can I participate?

Being that Crop Over is a 3 month long event, there are a ton of events and parties over this period of time. You can check out Visit Barbados for a list of events you can participate in.

In order to participate in Kadooment Day, you have to sign up with a band. I jumped with Zulu International, also known as “the fun band,” and I had a blast. They definitely took good care of me. They also had some BOMB costumes!

Registration usually comes with whichever costume you pick. A swag bag with necessities (cup, towel, fan, etc), breakfast, snacks, dinner and an open bar on Kadooment Day is also included (well at least that is what was included when registering with Zulu).

There are so many bands and they all operate differently, but they all usually have multiple costumes that you can pick from to wear on Kadooment Day.

Please note: Each costume has to be handmade and comes in limited quantities. So if you are indecisive please remember you definitely have to think quick because the best costumes are usually the first ones to go. So if you absolutely love it and think the costume is Rihanna worthy, then you better believe someone else is thinking the same thing! Jump on it boo!

I know plenty of people who waited until the last minute to purchase their costumes and had to opt for the second or third best since the ones they wanted were no longer available.

Each band has a frontline, midline and backline costume that you can choose from. The frontline costumes are the most extravagant (and cost the most), while the midline and backline have less feathers and jewels, but are still gorgeous and serve it's purpose when on di road.

Since this was my first carnival, I wanted to go all out! Since I teamed up with Zulu International, I decided to go for the frontline costume. My section was called “City Lights” and it was completely blinged out!

When will I get my costume?

On the week of Kadooment Day, your band should send out a schedule, letting you know what day you can come pick up your costume. I can’t lie, I was a little nervous about how my costume was going to fit since it was my first time ordering one. When you get your costume, don’t be afraid if it looks a little too revealing. In Barbados, they celebrate women and men of all sizes and do not participate in body shaming.

There were women of all sizes rocking their costumes as if they were Victoria’s Secret models on the runway. Barbados is a judge free zone, so “shake what ya mama gave you” and live your life, because you only have one.

What should I pack?

Barbados is a beautiful island, but it was definitely hot! You want to make sure you pack cool clothes, bathing suits, and sandals. I packed a pair of heels, but only wore them once because you want to be as comfortable as possible. A lot of the events are outdoors, so you don't want your heels sinking in the ground. Also, please remember to take sunscreen, water and a portable fan. I carried a small bag containing all of my necessities while I was on the go.

You may have to purchase a few extra things to go along with your costume. You will need tights to go under your costume (to help prevent chafing), pasties for your nipples, (especially if you order a wire bra), a pouch (to hold your phone, keys, money, etc.), glitter for your hair and face, and face jewels to go along with a bomb makeup look. I collaborated with Carnivalista, and they provided me with all of the necessary gear to survive my first Crop Over.

Also, don’t forget your comfy shoes! You will be dancing "on di road" for HOURS. I purchased some cheap shoes, painted them gold, and added glitter and all, but I decided to go with my trusted Nike prestos since they are some of the most comfortable shoes I own. It was also a plus because the Prestos went perfectly with my costume. So, go with what you know or break in any new shoes prior to Kadooment Day.

When it comes to makeup, I took my favorite palettes from Juvia's Place. I used the Zulu Palette and the Masquerade Palette faithfully on myself and my clients. Bright colors are a must, so don’t be afraid to go all out! You want your makeup to pop and compliment your costume.

I was booked and busy the morning of Kadooment Day and started doing makeup for my clients around 1 am! If you aren’t good at makeup and would like to treat yourself to a full face of glam then be sure to book your makeup appointment in advance or you will be highly disappointed.

What other events are there besides Kadooment Day?

While attending Crop Over, you also want to make sure to attend all of the hottest events while still experiencing the beautiful island of Barbados.

While there are so many events to attend, here is a list of a few things I would recommend doing while in Barbados during Crop Over:

NIKKI BEACH ZIRQUE POOL PARTY: From free face painting and popcorn to live fire throwers and clowns; Zirque was definitely a VIBE! The DJ was on point and blasted all of the latest tunes as we partied from poolside to inside of the pool! Yes, INSIDE OF THE POOL!

Not only did I see Rihanna, I actually walked with her and spoke to her! She was so sweet!

LOST IN PARADISE: This mystical party was lit AF! Thrown by Rihanna‘s brother (yes Rihanna was there) this event did not disappoint. The decor was beautiful and they had it all; good food, strong drinks, and a ton of good vibes! DJ Puffy was on the ones and twos and he kept the crowd hype!

FOREDAY MORNING: This event starts around midnight with a paint party that ends around 8:00 am! You literally throw paint on each other and dance the night away until the morning. This is definitely an experience you will never forget!

YACHT PARTY: I must say, it was definitely a “Yacht Girl Summer” for me! There’s nothing like sailing on a 2-story yacht, while dancing sipping on a tropical rum punch! We explored the sea and even got to go jet skiing and swim with beautiful sea turtles!

My first Crop Over experience was amazing! Not only did I run into Rihanna multiple times, I had the time of my life and I felt so free and alive.

You definitely have to add Crop Over to your bucket list and attend at least once in your lifetime, but I promise once you attend, you’ll definitely want to go back for more.

As I mentioned before, don’t forget to download the latest Soca mixtapes so you can practice your moves boo! If you want to listen to some of my favorite songs, click here to check out my Soca playlist!

Crop Over 2020 is quickly approaching and I will be hosting an epic trip to Barbados! This 6 day fun-filled adventure will highlight the best of Barbados, while giving you the ultimate Crop Over experience!

Spaces are limited and they are filling fast. Click here for more information about coming along with us!

Barbados: Crop Over Edition