Traditional festivals folklore and fairs Saint Martin

Because the island is so steeped in American culture, Halloween is celebrated all over the island. Nearly every house is decorated for the occasion, and children dress up and go trick-or-treating to collect sweets. Adults are not left out of the fun, however, and once the kids have gone to bed, they too can enjoy themselves and even chill out. Many bars and clubs (especially in the Dutch part of the country) organize special, festive evenings, usually in costume, for the occasion.

Every year, August 15, Assumption Day, is a public holiday that also corresponds to Sandy Ground's village fête. It generally begins with an ecumenical mass at the Apostolic Faith Church, followed by speeches by elected representatives and official figures, and a vin d'honneur. It then continues with sports and cultural events, and tastings of local dishes in the streets, in the parking lot of the Albéric Richards stadium or the Sandy Ground cultural center, right through to the evening. A festive, family-friendly day.

On Saint-Martin, November 11th has a dual significance. As in France, it marks the date commemorating the Armistice of 1918. But above all, it is Saint-Martin's Day. Christopher Columbus is said to have discovered the island on his second voyage, on November 11, 1493, and to have named it after the saint of the day, Saint Martin de Tours. Since 1959, each year the French and Dutch authorities have taken it in turns to organize a ceremony on either side of the border. The day is a national holiday.