Caye Caulker Lobster Fest Returns in July 2022

by Carolee Chanona

Nicknamed “the original,”  the committee has officially announced the return of Caye Caulker Lobster Fest to the ‘Go Slow’ Belize island in July 2022! Started in 1992 by the Islanders Veterans Football Club, the official dates for the 3-day event will be July 1st through July 3rd.

The annual festival was put on pause during the COVID-19 pandemic but 2022 marks its return to commemorate the traditional fishermen who’ve helped mold Caye Caulker into the tourist destination it is today.

What to expect on Caye Caulker?

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Caye Caulker, Belize. Image by Globe Guide CA

Moving almost entirely at a walking pace, the actual motto of Caye Caulker is Go Slow. The main modes of transportation? On bare feet, bicycles, buggies (a.k.a. golf carts) and plenty of boats to be messing about in. After all, the small limestone coral island off the coast of Belize measures about 5 miles long by less than 1 mile wide. It’s essentially a playground; swarms of kids chase one another across sandy streets while parents, either on their porch or a colorful hammock, happily ignore them.

Near The Split, beachgoers thump a sun-bleached volleyball across a net, while sweet and sticky neon green frozen cocktails go out, hand over fist, to sunbathers. The island is almost intimate. In fact, in some parts, it takes just 2 minutes to walk from one side to the other and bicycles are almost always complimentary by every resort.

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But don’t be mistaken: the heralded start of open season for the Spiny Lobster in Belize means the island is one of the busiest times of the year! June and July are considered ‘slow’ for tourism, and the celebration of the open Lobster season is one way the community aims to bring business back to the island.

Have fun with traditional Belizean games like greasy pole and hermit crab races, or just simply take in the sights and sounds of the seafood bacchanal. Barbeque grills line the seafront for charred lobsters alongside rice and beans or soft flour tortillas. After all, the Spiny Lobster enjoyed in Belize means the entire bodice of the mollusk is enjoyed—whether grilled, fried, stewed, in fritters, or even in ceviche.

At the end of the festival, the planning committee donates a percentage of the profits back to the community for future projects. Experience it for yourself this July with the 2022 return of the Caye Caulker Lobster Fest on July 1st through 3rd!

Header image of The Split by Kevin Quischan Photography/@BelizeMyTravels.

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