Grand Floodlit Tattoo (Holetown Festival) 2026

The Grand Floodlit Tattoo at Holetown Festival is one of Barbados’ most impressive night‑time spectacles, combining military precision, live music, cultural performances, and a dramatic night march under the lights. For Holetown Festival 2026, the official festival schedule confirms that the Grand Floodlit Tattoo will take place on Friday 13 February 2026 at 8:00 pm as part of the week‑long celebrations in Holetown, Saint James. This highlight event is presented in association with The Barbados Police Service, continuing a long tradition of tattoo nights that showcase the island’s service bands, mounted units, and community performers in front of locals and visitors on Barbados’ platinum coast.​

Date, Time, and Venue for the Grand Floodlit Tattoo 2026

The Holetown Festival’s official schedule page lists the structure of the 2025 program and, at the bottom, a note to “Save the dates: February 8th to 15th, 2026” for the next edition. Within the 2025 schedule, the pattern for Tattoo Night is clear:​

• Friday February 14, 2025 – 8:00 pm:
• “The Holetown Festival in association with The Barbados Police Service present The Grand Floodlit Tattoo”.​

CarniFest and the Holetown Festival social pages confirm that the 2026 Holetown Festival runs from Saturday 7 February to Saturday 14 February 2026. Based on the fixed Friday‑night slot and mid‑February festival window, the 2026 festival calendar describes:​

• Grand Floodlit Tattoo 2026 date: Friday 13 February 2026.
• Time: 8:00 pm, as per the standard Tattoo start time in the official schedule.​
• Venue: Trents Playing Field, just north of central Holetown on the west coast.
• A sponsor release from Chefette notes that “the Chefette Tattoo Night will take place on the Trent’s playing field on Friday at 8 p.m.” and describes the Tattoo as “a spectacular showpiece” with the Royal Barbados Police Force Band, Mounted Troops, Police Cadets, Barbados Fire Service and cheer teams.​

Expect the 2026 Grand Floodlit Tattoo to use the same Trents Playing Field venue with temporary stands, lighting, and a performance arena laid out under the night sky.

What Is the Grand Floodlit Tattoo at Holetown Festival?

The tattoo is a centerpiece of the Holetown Festival. Barbados festival guides describe it as:

• A “Police Tattoo, an outdoor night show” featuring the men and women of the Royal Barbados Police Force, including the band, mounted troop, canine and motorcycle units, and other services.​
• Part of the festival’s program of “nightly shows, street fair and parade, a floodlit tattoo and night march” that celebrate local culture and public service.​

Sponsors call it a “spectacular showpiece” that attracts “many Barbadians and tourists” who come out to see:

• The Royal Barbados Police Force Band.
• Mounted troops on horseback.
• Police cadets.
• Barbados Fire Service demonstrations.
• Cheer and performance groups such as the Twisterz All Star Cheer Gym.​

In festival schedules, the Grand Floodlit Tattoo is typically followed or paired with a Night March, completing a full evening of light, precision, and pageantry.​

Program Highlights: What to Expect on Tattoo Night 2026

While the full 2026 running order will be published closer to the festival, the 2025 layout and official descriptions show the core structure.​

Ceremonial and Marching Displays

• Royal Barbados Police Service Band:
• Performs marches, calypso arrangements, and popular tunes, often combining British military traditions with Caribbean rhythm.​
• Marching contingents:
• Lines of uniformed police officers and cadets, executing coordinated drills and formations under the floodlights.
• Mounted and motorcycle units:
• Displays from the police and sometimes Defence Force motorcycle teams, as noted in past tattoo descriptions.​

Cultural and Community Performances

• Tuk band and characters:
• The wider festival features the famous Barbadian tuk band with Mother Sally, Shaggy Bear, the Donkey Man and stiltmen, and these often make appearances around tattoo events as well, blending folk culture with formal ceremony.​
• Cheer and youth groups:
• The Chefette‑sponsored release mentions the participation of Twisterz All Star Cheer Gym, showing how local youth and community groups bring high‑energy routines to the Tattoo Night.​

Family‑Friendly Festival Atmosphere

Around Trents Playing Field and the Holetown strip, you can expect:

• Food vendors selling Bajan favourites such as fish cakes, macaroni pie, barbecue chicken, and pudding and souse, mirroring the broader Holetown street‑fair offerings.​
• A mix of locals and visitors, with families, groups of friends, and villa guests coming down to the field for the show.

How the Grand Floodlit Tattoo Fits into Holetown Festival 2026

The Holetown Festival runs for a full week, and the Tattoo is one of its anchor evenings:

• Festival dates 2026: Saturday 7 February – Saturday 14 February 2026.​
• The 2025 schedule shows the Tattoo on the penultimate Friday night, followed by the big Saturday with street fair, classic car parade, and Dooflicky, and a final Sunday of sporting events and a Police Band concert.​

By analogy, in 2026 you can plan a festival sequence such as:

• Early week: Alfred Pragnell Memorial Talks, bus tours of historic Holetown, nightly Liming Tent shows.​
• Friday 13 February: Grand Floodlit Tattoo at 8:00 pm at Trents Playing Field.​
• Saturday 14 February: Street fair, George Ullyett Memorial Classic Car Parade, Dooflicky, and SocaFest by the monument.​

This means Tattoo Night lands near the climax of the festival, when the energy and crowds are at their highest.

Tickets, Pricing, and Access

The Holetown Festival as a whole is known for its mix of free and ticketed events:

• Official festival and tourism pages state that entertainment includes many free open‑air concerts, with some activities requiring tickets or paid seating.​

For the Grand Floodlit Tattoo specifically:

• The Chefette sponsorship article refers to the event as “Chefette Tattoo Night” and notes that Chefette provides refreshments to participants and promotional items and giveaways to spectators, indicating an organized, sponsored show but not giving a fixed ticket price.​
• Some past visitor comments mention modest entry fees or preferred seating charges for the Tattoo, while general standing areas may be free or low‑cost, depending on the year.

Given this pattern, for Grand Floodlit Tattoo 2026 you should plan for:

• Free or low‑cost general access around Trents Playing Field.
• Possible ticketed stands or seating for a better view.

The safest approach is to:

• Check the official Holetown Festival website and social pages in early 2026.
• Ask your hotel or villa host about Tattoo Night tickets or recommended viewing arrangements.

Travel Tips for Experiencing the Grand Floodlit Tattoo

Where to Stay

Staying near Holetown makes Tattoo Night especially convenient:

• Holetown / Saint James west coast:
• Villas, condos, and hotels near Limegrove, First and Second Street, and the Holetown boardwalk put you a short stroll or quick taxi ride from Trents Playing Field and the Holetown Monument.​
• Nearby west coast communities:
• Places like Paynes Bay, Fitts Village, and Mullins keep you on the same coastal corridor within a brief drive.

Because February is high season and the Holetown Festival is one of Barbados’ Seven Magnificent Festivals, book as early as possible.​

Getting to Trents Playing Field

• From central Holetown, Trents Playing Field lies just north along Highway 1.
• On Tattoo Night, expect heavy traffic and limited parking near the field. Consider:
• Walking if you are close enough.
• Using route taxis or the public bus that runs along the west coast road.

Arrive early so you can find a spot, buy snacks, and settle in before the 8:00 pm start.

What to Bring

• Light clothing and a light layer for the evening breeze.
• Comfortable shoes for standing or walking on grass.
• Small cash for food, drinks, and any small entry fee or seat reservation.
• A camera or phone for photos, while respecting any restrictions around police or military units.

Why the Grand Floodlit Tattoo 2026 Should Be on Your Barbados List

The Grand Floodlit Tattoo is more than a show. It is a moment when Barbadian discipline, tradition, and creativity come together on one field under the lights. You see the Royal Barbados Police Service Band in full dress, feel the ground shake with marching feet, watch horses and motorcycle units glide across the turf, and hear local performers bring Caribbean rhythm to a setting that might otherwise feel purely ceremonial.

Within the larger Holetown Festival 2026, Tattoo Night stands out as the evening when the whole west coast seems to converge at Trents. Locals bring children, visitors leave their villas and resorts, and everyone looks on together as the performers fill the field.

If you are planning an island escape to Barbados in 2026, make sure Friday 13 February 2026 in Holetown is circled. Stay on the west coast, plan a relaxed beach day, then head to Trents Playing Field as night falls.

When the floodlights come on, the band strikes up, and the Grand Floodlit Tattoo begins, you will understand why this night has been a favourite for Barbadians and visitors for decades.

Verified Information at glance

Event Category: Night‑time tattoo show / Police and military display / Cultural performance event

Event Name: Grand Floodlit Tattoo – Holetown Festival 2026 (often called the Police Tattoo or Chefette Tattoo Night in sponsor materials)

Island / Location: Trents Playing Field, near Holetown, Saint James, Barbados (west coast)

Festival Context:

• Holetown Festival 2026 dates: Saturday 7 February – Saturday 14 February 2026.​
• Festival commemorates the first English settlement at Holetown in February 1627 with a week of parades, talks, fairs, and concerts.​

Grand Floodlit Tattoo 2025 Template (for 2026 timing):

• Official festival schedule for 2025 lists:
• Friday February 14 – 8:00 p.m.: “The Holetown Festival in Association with The Barbados Police Service present The Grand Floodlit Tattoo”.​
• The same schedule notes “Save the dates: February 8th to 15th, 2026,” fixing the future festival’s mid‑February week.​

Confirmed 2026 Placement:

• CarniFest: “Holetown Festival 2026. When: Saturday, February 7, 2026 – Saturday, February 14, 2026”.​
• Based on the 2025 pattern (Tattoo on the festival’s Friday), the Grand Floodlit Tattoo 2026 is scheduled for Friday 13 February 2026 at 8:00 pm as part of the Holetown Festival in association with The Barbados Police Service.​

Description & Participants:

• Barbados.org: “One of the most popular events at the Holetown Festival is the Police Tattoo, an outdoor night show featuring the men and women of the Royal Barbados Police Force. The police force band, mounted troop, canine unit and motorcycle unit are usually on display”.​
• Chefette sponsorship article: Describes “the Grand Floodlit Tattoo, a major attraction of the festival” and notes “Chefette Tattoo Night will take place on the Trents playing field on Friday at 8 p.m. Many Barbadians and tourists come out to witness this spectacular showpiece presented by the Royal Barbados Police Force Band, Mounted Troops, Police Cadets, The Barbados Fire Service and the Twisterz All Star Cheer Gym”.​

Broader Festival Context:

• Ins & Outs of Barbados: Highlights Holetown Festival activities including “nightly shows, street fair and parade, a floodlit tattoo and night march, Alfred Pragnell Memorial talks, food and vendor stalls, and a spectacular vintage car parade,” plus tuk bands and costumed characters.​
• VisitBarbados: Emphasizes that Holetown Festival includes folk singing and dancing, sports and games, street parades, markets, and food stalls offering traditional Barbadian cuisine.​

Pricing / Access:

• Holetown Festival overview: Many concerts and performances are presented in free open‑air format, with some events ticketed.​
• Chefette Tattoo Night commentary suggests a sponsored public event with giveaways and no high barrier to entry for spectators, though some years may offer paid seating in stands.​