The Tortola Carnival also known as the British Virgin Islands (BVI) Emancipation Festival and also called the August festival, takes place between July and August -- this year it takes place on July 25 to August tenth.

This is an annual festival that celebrates the 1834 Emancipation Act which abolished slavery in the British West Indies.

The BVI Festival celebration happens on all of the islands. Activities include: live music, dancing, street performances, donkey races, freedom march, emancipation service, Calypso monarch competition, boat races, greased pig catch, parties and parades. Food and drink are important aspects of the celebrations.