The 25th edition of the World Creole Music Festival (WCMF) was launched Friday 4 July 2025. This silver jubilee will take place from 24 to 26 October at Windsor Park Sports Stadium in Roseau. Celebrated under the theme “Global Echoes of the Nature Island: Celebrating 25 Years of Creole Music, Magic, and Memories”, the milestone event will honour Creole music, culture, and Caribbean identity while highlighting Dominica’s role as the Nature Isle of the Caribbean.
Organisers announced a contribution of 13.4 million dollars (approximately £10.4 million), which is an increase of 4 million dollars (around £3.1 million) from last year. They noted the WCMF’s strong economic impact and the need for a more sustainable financing model.
HISTORY AND LEGACY OF WCMF
The World Creole Music Festival was established in 1997 with two primary objectives: to enhance Dominica’s arts, music, and entertainment industries, and to position the island as a unique tourism destination. Since then, it has evolved into one of the signature events on the Caribbean festival calendar, recognised for its sustained visitor arrivals, strong media coverage, and sterling reputation among artists.
Held annually on the last weekend in October, the festival is a highlight of Dominica’s Independence celebrations and coincides with International Creole Day. October, known locally as Creole Month, is a time when the island becomes a showcase of music, cuisine, fashion, and traditions that reflect the richness of Creole identity and heritage.
At its core, the WCMF celebrates the music of Creole-speaking countries across the Caribbean, Africa, Europe, and the wider world. Its lineup features the diverse rhythms of bouyon and cadence-lypso from Dominica, kompa from Haiti, zouk from the French Antilles, soukous from Africa, and zydeco from New Orleans. Over the years, the festival has also welcomed a range of global sounds, including reggae, dancehall, soca, calypso, salsa, and more.
The stage has been graced by an impressive list of stars, including Kassav, Tabou Combo, Exile One, Jeff Joe and Grammacks International, Ophelia Marie, Michele Henderson, Ralph Thamar, Kali, WCK Band, Swinging Stars, Krosfyah, Square One, Buckwheat Zydeco, the Wailers, Byron Lee & the Dragonaires, Machel Montano, Beenie Man, Buju Banton, Sean Paul, Aswad, Wyclef Jean, Carimi, Taxi Kweyol, Magnum Band, Phantom Band, Sakis, Loketo, Diblo Dibala, Shurwayne Winchester, and many others.
Today, the WCMF stands as a symbol of the world’s creole heritage and is established as one of the Caribbean’s top cultural festivals.
BEYOND THE MUSIC
More than just a concert series, the World Creole Music Festival is a comprehensive cultural experience that showcases Dominica’s identity as the Nature Isle. Visitors are encouraged to extend their stay, with opportunities to discover the island’s rivers, lakes, waterfalls, hot springs, and marine adventures. Alongside the music, the festival showcases Creole cuisine, crafts, fashion, and the warm hospitality of the Dominican people.
October transforms the island into a month-long celebration of pride, unity, and Creole spirit. From “Three Nights of Pulsating Rhythms” to the amazing adventures awaiting across the island, the WCMF continues to deliver on its promise as a festival that never sleeps.
Dominica’s music is bouyon — a genre created by Cornell Phillip and his brothers. It’s fast-paced, built on drums, bass, and chant-style vocals. Forming WCK (Windward Caribbean Kulture), they integrated cadence-lypso and jing-ping into dance hits like Dance Floor and Conch Shell.
Asa Bantan, King of Bouyon (A.K.A Bouyon Boss), became the first solo artist to take the genre global with Wet Fete, inspiring Machel Montano and Bunji Garlin. Carlyn XP, the Bouyon Queen, added hits like Gimme Dat and Nobody. In 2025, Trilla G, Shelly, and Skinny Fabulous won the first Bouyon Road March with Rags, proving that bouyon continues to rise across Dominica and beyond.
25 YEARS OF CREOLE MUSIC, MAGIC AND MEMORIES
As it celebrates its silver anniversary, the World Creole Music Festival remains a cornerstone of Dominica’s cultural identity and a major display of Caribbean creativity. With global recognition, sweet rhythms, and memorable experiences, the 2025 edition promises to be bigger and better than ever.
Dominica invites you to “Come for the vibe, stay for the view,” with more than 45 live performances across three nights of bouyon, soca, reggae, dancehall, zouk, and Afrobeat from local and international stars, giving visitors a chance to experience the island’s pure Creole culture like never before.
Tickets for the event vary by date and type, with Night 1 (24 October) and Night 3 (26 October) at $77 (£57), Night 2 (25 October) at $115 (£85), Season Regular tickets at $230 (£170), and VIP tickets at $797 (£588). VIP options include PVIP (premium drinks and snacks), VVIP (all-inclusive food and drinks), and Ultra VIP (encompassing all amenities of PVIP and VVIP, plus more).
