Sint Maarten and Saint-Martin Events Calendar: The Island Year, Month by Month
Updated: 5 hours ago
The island has two calendars stacked on top of each other: a Dutch one and a French one. Add the Caribbean's biggest regatta and a beach music festival, and the busiest weeks of the year are easy to predict. This Sint Maarten and Saint-Martin events calendar lists what happens when, with confirmed 2026–2027 dates where organisers have published them and TBC where they have not.
We use it ourselves. For owners, it is the rental pricing calendar. For buyers, it is the best way to choose when to visit.
January: high season settles in
The holidays are over, but the island stays full. This is the heart of the winter season, when North American visitors fill villas and condos from Simpson Bay to Orient Bay.
Grand Case Tuesdays (Harmony Nights). On Tuesday evenings in high season, Grand Case's boulevard closes to cars and fills with live music, street food, craft stalls and the town's restaurants spilling outside. Season dates are announced locally each winter (TBC).
February: Carnival on the French side
Saint-Martin Carnival. The French side celebrates first, through February and into early March, before Lent. Marigot is the centre, with parades along the waterfront and main streets, costume competitions and the election of Carnival queens. Most events are free. In 2027, Mardi Gras falls on February 9, so the final days of parades will be around that date (programme TBC).
March: sailing and music
March is the island's loudest month, in the best way.
St. Maarten Heineken Regatta, March 4–7, 2027 (47th edition). Based in Simpson Bay, it is the largest regatta in the Caribbean, and its "Serious Fun" motto is not a joke: racing by day, concerts at night. The organisers count more than 20,000 visitors a year. Registration and charter berths for 2027 are open.
SXM Festival, March 17–21, 2027 (10th anniversary). An electronic music festival at Happy Bay Beach on the French side, with other venues around the island. The 2027 line-up has already been announced.
For owners: these two weeks are among the easiest to rent all year. Set minimum stays early, price from real bookings rather than last year's rate, and expect sailors and festival-goers to book months ahead. If your building is in Simpson Bay, tell guests to allow extra time on the roads during regatta week.
April: King's Day and Dutch-side Carnival
King's Day, April 27 (Dutch side). A public holiday celebrating the Dutch monarch, marked with events in Philipsburg and around the Dutch side.
St. Maarten Carnival (Dutch side). Usually from mid-April to early May, based at the Carnival Village by the Great Salt Pond in Philipsburg. Expect J'ouvert, the early-morning jump-up, pan and soca concerts, and the Grand Parade. The 2026 edition ran from April 10 to May 5; 2027 dates are TBC by the St. Maarten Carnival Development Foundation. Carnival Day, April 30, is a public holiday on the Dutch side.
If you are buying on the Dutch side and value quiet nights, note how close a property is to the Carnival Village. For others, it is the best part of spring.
May and June: shoulder season
Labour Day, May 1 (both sides).
Abolition Day, May 28 (French side public holiday).
After Carnival, the island exhales. Hotels and rentals are quieter, restaurants are easier to book, and prices soften. For owners, this is where flexible minimum stays and early-booking offers earn their keep. The Atlantic hurricane season officially starts on June 1.
July: two national days
Emancipation Day, July 1 (Dutch side). The anniversary of the abolition of slavery, marked with cultural events.
Bastille Day, July 14 (French side). France's national day, celebrated across the French side.
Summer has a slower rhythm. It is a good time for buyers who want to see the island as residents live it.
August to October: the quiet months
These are the calmest months of the year, and the peak of hurricane season. Some restaurants take their annual break. Owners use this window for maintenance and renovation; buyers who visit find agents with time and sellers ready to talk.
Constitution Day, October 10 (Dutch side).
November: Saint Martin's Day
St. Martin's Day, November 11 (both sides). The island's shared celebration, with ceremonies, both national anthems, parades and cultural events from Marigot to Philipsburg. It is a public holiday on the Dutch side and a good day to understand how this one island, two countries arrangement works in practice.
Hurricane season officially ends on November 30.
December: the peak
Christmas and New Year are the most expensive weeks of the year to rent and the hardest to book late. Restaurants in Grand Case, Simpson Bay and Orient Bay fill up, and the best villas are booked well in advance.
For owners: set holiday rates and minimum stays by the summer. The best weeks are often booked by the time the season starts. If you want help with that, it is what our rental management team does every day.
Why the calendar matters for property
Events do not make a bad property good, but they shape its year. Arrivals by air, not cruise ships, drive rental demand, and the busiest event weeks line up with the busiest travel weeks. We covered the latest numbers in our analysis of 2026 arrivals. If you are buying for rental income, ask for a property's booking history around these dates, not just its annual average.
Questions we get
When is the best time to visit Sint Maarten to look at property? It depends on what you want to see. High season (December to April) shows rental demand at its strongest. The quiet months show you the island as residents live it, and agents and sellers have more time.
When is the Heineken Regatta in 2027? March 4–7, 2027, based in Simpson Bay. It is the 47th edition.
Are there two Carnivals on the island? Yes. The French side celebrates in February, before Lent, centred on Marigot. The Dutch side celebrates from about mid-April to early May in Philipsburg.
Do events affect rental prices? Yes. Regatta week, SXM Festival, Carnival and the Christmas–New Year period are among the easiest weeks to rent. Owners who plan rates and minimum stays early benefit most.
Want to know which neighbourhoods suit your year on the island? Start with our island guide, then browse properties for sale.
Sources: St. Maarten Heineken Regatta and SXM Festival organisers (2027 announcements); St. Maarten Carnival Development Foundation; St. Martin Tourist Office; official public holiday calendars. Dates marked TBC were not published at the time of writing.
Comments