Last Lap in Antigua & Barbuda
Last Lap is the closing event of Antigua’s Carnival: a final jump-up that follows the Carnival Tuesday parade and carries the festivities to midnight. The event is not separately named as a public holiday in the law; the statutory Carnival holiday covers the first Monday in August and the Tuesday that follows.[1][2]
Last Lap and the public holiday
Antigua and Barbuda’s Public Holidays (Amendment) Act, 2019 lists a “Carnival Holiday” on the first Monday in August and on the Tuesday following it. It does not list Last Lap as a separate holiday. The Act also says that public offices, banks, shops and stores are to close on the public holidays it names, subject to exceptions and permitted openings in the Act.[1]
The law does not set a separate substitute day for Last Lap. It provides a general power for the Governor-General, with Cabinet’s advice, to appoint a special public holiday or substitute another day in a particular case. The government’s national holidays page likewise identifies Carnival Monday and Carnival Tuesday as public holidays, rather than Last Lap.[1][3]
The Carnival finale
The Antigua and Barbuda Festivals Commission describes Last Lap as the season’s final event and the last jump-up before Carnival ends at midnight. Its account places the event after Carnival Tuesday’s parade of troupes and groups, making Last Lap the closing street celebration rather than a standalone observance.[2]
The Commission’s description presents Last Lap as a moment to continue enjoying music, fun and revelry as the festival concludes. Antigua’s Carnival is framed by the national tourism authority as a celebration connected with the abolition of slavery, with street parades, costumes, soca and calypso among its features. Last Lap belongs to this wider Carnival programme.[2][3]
Where and what to expect
The government’s national holidays page identifies Carnival Monday as the first Monday in August and Carnival Tuesday as the first Tuesday in August.[3]
Last Lap is an event rather than a statutory closure day in its own right. The Act’s closing rules apply to the public holidays in its schedule, including Carnival Monday and Tuesday. It allows some openings, such as drug shops for necessary prescriptions and public markets or food and drink sales before 9 a.m.; other classes of shops may be allowed to open by a Gazette order.[1]
Dates and planning
The Carnival holiday dates move with the calendar because the law defines them by weekdays: the first Monday in August and the Tuesday immediately after. The Commission describes Last Lap in relation to Carnival Tuesday, so attendees should check the Commission’s current Carnival information for event timing and practical arrangements.[1][2]
The law explains the public-holiday closure rules, but it does not describe Last Lap-specific changes to transport, shop hours or office operations. Those practical effects should not be assumed from the event’s name; they depend on the statutory holiday and any applicable official arrangements.[1]
Last Lap: common questions
Is Last Lap an official public holiday?
Last Lap is not separately named in the Public Holidays (Amendment) Act, 2019. The Act names Carnival Holiday as the first Monday in August and the following Tuesday.[1]
When does Last Lap take place?
The Festivals Commission describes it as the final Carnival event, following Carnival Tuesday’s parade, and says Carnival concludes at midnight. Check the Commission’s current information for event details.[2]
Is there a substitute day for Last Lap?
The Act does not provide a specific substitute day for Last Lap. It does give the Governor-General, acting with Cabinet’s advice, power to appoint a special public holiday or substitute a day in a particular case.[1]
Are offices and shops closed for Last Lap?
Last Lap itself is not listed as a public holiday. The Act requires public offices, banks, shops and stores to close on scheduled public holidays, with stated exceptions and provision for certain shop openings by Gazette order.[1]
Sources and references
Sources used for Last Lap in Antigua & Barbuda:
- Public Holidays (Amendment) Act, 2019- Laws of Antigua and Barbuda
- FAQs- Antigua and Barbuda Festivals Commission
- National Holidays- Government of Antigua and Barbuda