Nothing beats a Barbados bank holiday. Baddies closed out the Barbados Crop Over in style on Kadoonment Day. The celebration brought a group of stunning Black women together, including lifestyle influencers, seasoned entrepreneurs, and soca queens. They joined the band Vida Vixens for the revelry, dressed in glamorous costumes adorned with feathers, gems, and lace ribbons. Photographer @juniorsealy captured the festivities for a photo essay.
What Is Kadoonment Day?
Kadoonment Day, also known as Grand Kadoonment Day, is a public holiday in Barbados. It takes place on the first Monday of each August and concludes the Crop Over festival. It began in the 1600s as a way to celebrate the harvest being completed. The fetes may have begun as a gift from landowners but they belong to the people now.
Over several centuries, it has evolved into a day of jubilee that centers the beauty and resilience embedded in the culture that makes Barbados so special. Locals take deep pride in this tradition.
Bajan people of all ages participate in the sunshine and joy. They dance, sing, and shout together on the streets during the festival. Tourists visit every year for a chance to soak up the energy (and try to get a glimpse at Rihanna).
Source: Jr. Sealy / Jr. Sealy
Thousands turn out for the annual celebration. They wriggle with excitement at the pulse of the steel drums played by multiple bands.
Women donned traditional costumes in vibrant colors playing an active part in the time honored tradition of celebrating the end of harvest season. “Vida Vixens did not play on the road,” said photographer Jr. Sealy who captured the ladies enjoying their time with Vida Vixens. “Vida is one of the most inclusive bands and it shows in the variety of beauty I get to capture,” he added.
Take a look at some of the beautiful looks the women attending with Vida Vixens wore below.