As part of its activities, the National Cultural Foundation (NCF) organises two annual national festivals — Crop Over and the National Independence Festival of Creative Arts (NIFCA). It also assists in the staging of Holders Opera Season celebration, the Holetown Festival, Barbados Jazz Festival and the Oistins Fish Festival.

The Crop Over Festival
A folk festival which originated on the sugar plantations, "Crop Over" was then, as it is now, a means of celebrating the end of a hard-working sugar cane season. Previously a three-week festival running from mid-July to early August, Crop Over is now preceded by a series of ‘Calvacades’, beginning in May.

Crop Over is a lively showcase of all facets of Barbadian culture, a fluid blend of African survivals and western modernity. Activities include plantation fairs, a donkey-cart parade, a King and Queen of the Crop competition, street malls and the "Pic-o-de-Crop" Calypso Monarch competition.

Oistins Fish Festival
The Fish Festival celebrates the life of and contributions made by the south coast fishing town of Oistins in Christ Church. Occurring in April, the celebrations include fish-boning competitions, fishing boat races, food stalls and arts and craft displays.

NIFCA
This Creative Arts Festival is held annually to commemorate our independence. It was introduced in 1973 to provide a forum for the creative and performing arts. No age limit is set for the competition which moves from the community, through parishes, to the national level. Successful participants receive awards of gold, silver and bronze, depending upon the level of excellence achieved.