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Trinidad and Tobago🇹🇹 | festivalsBlue Food FestivalDasheen cooking contests, coal-pot stalls, Bloody Bay ground, steelpan and soca | things to do and best time to go

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Backpacking in Blue Food
👍 Recommendedfestival ranked #5
By Johan Kruseman 🇳🇱 | Updated October 22, 2026

Years ago the Blue Food Festival was a modest village affair, a place where neighbors showed off how they cooked dasheen, the dark root that gives the dishes their purple-blue tint. Today it is a Tobago Festivals Commission event held each October at the Bloody Bay Recreation Ground, on Tobago’s north coast in Trinidad and Tobago, usually over a weekend. Expect a ground of tents, smoke from coal pots and a sound system that never fully rests, with soca and steelpan drifting between cooking contests. The crowd is mostly Tobagonians, families and a scattering of curious visitors, so you are an easy guest to spot and an easy one to feed. The road in winds through rainforest, and you get the sea glinting below as your reward. Arrive hungry around midday, wander the stalls with a plate in hand, and let the first bowl of blue-tinted food decide the rest of your afternoon.

Discover everything you want to know in the 📖 Trinidad and Tobago Travel Guide.


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✨ Why go?
Ranked #5 festival in Trinidad and TobagoWhat makes this festival worth celebrating

Blue Food Festival rewards travelers who like their culture served on a paper plate. The draw is the dasheen cooking contests, where local cooks turn ground provisions into dishes you will not find on a standard restaurant menu. You watch the judging, taste the results from the stalls, and talk to the people who grew the food. That access is the real value, since few events on the island put you this close to home cooking and the farmers behind it.

The second reason is geography. The Bloody Bay Recreation Ground sits in a quiet corner of Tobago’s north coast, away from the resort strip in the southwest. Getting there means crossing the island through forest and small villages, which makes the festival a natural reason to explore the Caribbean side of the island rather than just the beaches … read more 👉
Blue Food Festival rewards travelers who like their culture served on a paper plate. The draw is the dasheen cooking contests, where local cooks turn ground provisions into dishes you will not find on a standard restaurant menu. You watch the judging, taste the results from the stalls, and talk to the people who grew the food. That access is the real value, since few events on the island put you this close to home cooking and the farmers behind it.

The second reason is geography. The Bloody Bay Recreation Ground sits in a quiet corner of Tobago’s north coast, away from the resort strip in the southwest. Getting there means crossing the island through forest and small villages, which makes the festival a natural reason to explore the Caribbean side of the island rather than just the beaches near the airport. Pair it with a few days of hiking, birdwatching or diving in the north, and October stops being an afterthought on a longer Caribbean route.

💡 HighlightsKey sights and experiences for travelers

  1. Dasheen Cooking Contests: The heart of the weekend. Cooks compete with dasheen and other ground provisions, and you can watch dishes take shape and hear how each recipe is meant to taste.
  2. The Food Stalls: Rows of vendors sell blue food in every form you can think of, from dasheen dishes to other root crops and island staples, usually served hot from the pot.
  3. Bloody Bay Recreation Ground: The setting itself is part of the show. A village ground on the north coast, framed by forested hills, gives the festival a local, unpolished feel that big-stage events lack.
  4. Live Music and Steelpan: Soca, calypso and pan float over the grounds through the day. Nobody is in a hurry, so you can eat, dance a little and eat again.
  5. Talking to Farmers and Cooks: Many of the people behind the stalls grew the food or
… read more 👉
  1. Dasheen Cooking Contests: The heart of the weekend. Cooks compete with dasheen and other ground provisions, and you can watch dishes take shape and hear how each recipe is meant to taste.
  2. The Food Stalls: Rows of vendors sell blue food in every form you can think of, from dasheen dishes to other root crops and island staples, usually served hot from the pot.
  3. Bloody Bay Recreation Ground: The setting itself is part of the show. A village ground on the north coast, framed by forested hills, gives the festival a local, unpolished feel that big-stage events lack.
  4. Live Music and Steelpan: Soca, calypso and pan float over the grounds through the day. Nobody is in a hurry, so you can eat, dance a little and eat again.
  5. Talking to Farmers and Cooks: Many of the people behind the stalls grew the food or learned the recipes at home. Ask how they prepare dasheen and you will usually get a full explanation, and often a second helping.
Blue Food Festival fits comfortably into a single afternoon, though a full day lets you catch the contests, eat properly and linger for the music.
Spotted a mistake or missing something? Contact us.

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🌤️ When to go?When is the celebration of Blue Food Festival?

The Blue Food Festival runs over one weekend in October, usually Saturday and Sunday, at the Bloody Bay Recreation Ground on Tobago’s north coast, with the exact dates set each year by the Tobago Festivals Commission.
  • Best day: Saturday, when stalls are freshly stocked and the cooking contests are in full swing. Sunday is more relaxed and sells out of favorite dishes earlier in the afternoon.
  • Weather: October is rainy season, so expect 24 to 31°C (75 to 88°F), humid air and heavy showers that pass in under an hour. Bring a poncho, sandals that dry fast and sunscreen. Days are about 12 hours long.
  • Booking: Reserve a bed three to four weeks ahead, since north coast rooms are few. Prices rise roughly 20 to 40 percent that weekend.
  • Crowds: The coast road is narrow and winding, so arrive before noon
… read more 👉
The Blue Food Festival runs over one weekend in October, usually Saturday and Sunday, at the Bloody Bay Recreation Ground on Tobago’s north coast, with the exact dates set each year by the Tobago Festivals Commission.
  • Best day: Saturday, when stalls are freshly stocked and the cooking contests are in full swing. Sunday is more relaxed and sells out of favorite dishes earlier in the afternoon.
  • Weather: October is rainy season, so expect 24 to 31°C (75 to 88°F), humid air and heavy showers that pass in under an hour. Bring a poncho, sandals that dry fast and sunscreen. Days are about 12 hours long.
  • Booking: Reserve a bed three to four weeks ahead, since north coast rooms are few. Prices rise roughly 20 to 40 percent that weekend.
  • Crowds: The coast road is narrow and winding, so arrive before noon and leave before dusk, when taxis and shared vans thin out.
Arrive Saturday by late morning and you get a parking spot and a shaded seat.


source: climatestotravel.comJANJanuary: excellent for travelingFEBFebruary: not recommended for travelingMARMarch: not recommended for travelingAPRApril: not recommended for travelingMAYMay: not recommended for travelingJUNJune: not recommended for travelingJULJuly: not recommended for travelingAUGAugust: not recommended for travelingSEPSeptember: not recommended for travelingOCTOctober: not recommended for travelingNOVNovember: not recommended for travelingDECDecember: not recommended for traveling

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🛏️ Where to stay?Choosing the right base

Speyside is the best area for backpackers, with the most budget guesthouses within reach of Bloody Bay and a small, friendly crowd of divers and hikers. It sits on the north-east coast, roughly 30 to 45 minutes by car from the festival ground, and you can share a taxi with other guests to split the fare. Evenings are social, with a handful of simple bars and beachfront eateries where solo travelers fall into conversation easily. It also feels safe, because the village is small and people know each other.
Castara is the closer option, about 15 minutes away. It is a quiet fishing village with a few … read more 👉
Speyside is the best area for backpackers, with the most budget guesthouses within reach of Bloody Bay and a small, friendly crowd of divers and hikers. It sits on the north-east coast, roughly 30 to 45 minutes by car from the festival ground, and you can share a taxi with other guests to split the fare. Evenings are social, with a handful of simple bars and beachfront eateries where solo travelers fall into conversation easily. It also feels safe, because the village is small and people know each other.
Castara is the closer option, about 15 minutes away. It is a quiet fishing village with a few modest guest rooms and a lovely beach, so it suits travelers who want calm and an early start. Nightlife is minimal, so bring your own entertainment.
Scarborough, the island capital, has the widest choice and the most transport links, including the ferry port and the main bus terminal. It is less social, but works if you are arriving by sea from Trinidad. Because rooms are limited in the north, book early, and agree on a return ride before you go out for the day.
Best hostels in Trinidad and Tobago


Best quality hotels in Trinidad and Tobago

👛 Costs (as of 22 October 2026)Travel costs and budget guide for Blue Food

A day at the Blue Food Festival costs roughly US$85 to 140 for an independent traveler, and the table below uses the high-season bed rate for that total.
CategoryBudget RangeLocal Reality
Festival ticketsUS$0 to 5Entry to the recreation ground is free or a small gate charge, depending on the year.
Accommodation (high season)US$45 to 80Guesthouse rooms near the north coast. Prices climb over the festival weekend and rooms are limited.
Local transportUS$10 to 30Shared taxis and private hire from Scarborough or Speyside. Buses to the north are infrequent, so most people pay for a car ride.
Food & drinksUS$15 to 30Festival plates cost about US$5 to 10 each, drinks US$1 to 4. Pay in local cash.
Miscellaneous expensesUS$5 to 15Sunscreen, a poncho, small souvenirs and tips for taxi drivers.
Total Daily
… read more 👉
A day at the Blue Food Festival costs roughly US$85 to 140 for an independent traveler, and the table below uses the high-season bed rate for that total.
CategoryBudget RangeLocal Reality
Festival ticketsUS$0 to 5Entry to the recreation ground is free or a small gate charge, depending on the year.
Accommodation (high season)US$45 to 80Guesthouse rooms near the north coast. Prices climb over the festival weekend and rooms are limited.
Local transportUS$10 to 30Shared taxis and private hire from Scarborough or Speyside. Buses to the north are infrequent, so most people pay for a car ride.
Food & drinksUS$15 to 30Festival plates cost about US$5 to 10 each, drinks US$1 to 4. Pay in local cash.
Miscellaneous expensesUS$5 to 15Sunscreen, a poncho, small souvenirs and tips for taxi drivers.
Total Daily BudgetUS$85 to 140Lower if you share rides and rooms.
⚠️ Prices can change and everyone travels differently, so take this as a rough guide. Hope it helps you plan your adventure!

🍲 FoodLocal Cuisine & Drinks

The star is dasheen, the starchy root that gives blue food its name, along with other ground provisions such as yam, cassava, sweet potato and green fig. Stalls turn them into boiled mounds, fried chips, soups and creamy mashes, often alongside stewed fish, curried crab and dumplings, or callaloo made from the dasheen leaves. Cooking contests run through the day, so you can watch cooks stirring giant pots and then taste the results.
Try the crab and dumpling if it is on, as it is a Tobago classic, and ask for pepper sauce on the side because the heat can be fierce. Wash it down with sorrel, ginger beer, fresh coconut water or a cold local beer. Many stalls also sell homemade sweets such as tamarind balls and sugar cake.
Bring cash, as most vendors do not take cards and mobile signal at the ground … read more 👉
The star is dasheen, the starchy root that gives blue food its name, along with other ground provisions such as yam, cassava, sweet potato and green fig. Stalls turn them into boiled mounds, fried chips, soups and creamy mashes, often alongside stewed fish, curried crab and dumplings, or callaloo made from the dasheen leaves. Cooking contests run through the day, so you can watch cooks stirring giant pots and then taste the results.
Try the crab and dumpling if it is on, as it is a Tobago classic, and ask for pepper sauce on the side because the heat can be fierce. Wash it down with sorrel, ginger beer, fresh coconut water or a cold local beer. Many stalls also sell homemade sweets such as tamarind balls and sugar cake.
Bring cash, as most vendors do not take cards and mobile signal at the ground is patchy. Plates are generous, so share one with a friend and sample more stalls. Lines build around midday, so eat early, and expect to eat standing or perched on a bench under the tents.

FAQCommon questions from travelers

The Blue Food Festival takes place each October, normally over a weekend at the Bloody Bay Recreation Ground on Tobago’s north coast. The Tobago Festivals Commission announces the exact dates each year. Saturday is the busiest day, and the site is roughly 45 minutes by road from Scarborough.
Attending the Blue Food Festival costs roughly US$85 to 140 a day for a backpacker, covering a room, rides and food. Entry is free or a few dollars, while festival plates run about US$5 to 10 each. Most of the spend goes on a bed, which is US$45 to 80 over the festival weekend, and taxis from Scarborough or Speyside.
The Blue Food Festival has traditionally been free or low-cost at the gate, so advance tickets are rarely the issue. What you do need to book early is a bed, ideally three to four weeks ahead, since the north coast has few rooms. Arrange transport too, because buses to Bloody Bay are infrequent and taxis fill up on the festival weekend.
⚠️ Things can change over time, so always validate details locally before you go.

Other Trinidadian and Tobagonian festivals near Blue Food

Explore more nearby:

  • Tobago Heritage Festival—Tobago wedding play, village folk nights, tambrin beats, crab and dumpling| 6 km away
  • Carnival—J’Ouvert mud, feathered bands, Savannah stages, Moko Jumbies| 119 km away
  • Emancipation Day—Libation rites, hand drums, African dress, August 1 march| 119 km away

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We 💚 feedbackParting advice and final tips

Blue Food Festival is best in the early afternoon in October, when the cooking is in full swing and the stalls are fully stocked, before the best dishes run out. I would arrive hungry, bring small cash for plates, and stay until the music picks up toward evening.

✍️ Help improve this page!
The information on this page is based on in-depth research, insights shared by experienced travelers, and feedback from the local travel community in Trinidad and Tobago. While every effort is made to keep the information accurate and current, conditions can change — so if you spot anything incorrect or outdated, please get in touch.



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