Events

On August 1, 1838, the enslaved Africans throughout the British Empire in the Caribbean were freed from slavery. In Trinidad and Tobago August 1, 1985, Emancipation Day was declared a national holiday and has since grown into a major national festival, where thousands of people participate in various activities.

This day commemorates Trinidad and Tobago's independence from Britain in 1962. At midnight on 30th August 1962, the Union Jack (British flag) was lowered and the Trinidad and Tobago flag was raised for the first time.