Maybe you’ve been to a rum festival. Maybe you’re just beginning a journey into the world of premium rum. Or maybe you’re just looking for a new kind of beach vacation. 

Either way, Bonaire Rum Week should be on your calendar: June 12-17, 2023. 

The ultimate summer rum festival in the Caribbean is back again this June, a weeklong celebration of premium rum – set against the backdrop of the ultimate Dutch Caribbean paradise. 

If you have been to a rum festival, forget everything you know. This isn’t an expo in a stuffy conference center in a densely populated city. 

This is about enjoying the premium Caribbean rum where it’s meant to be enjoyed — at the edge of the ocean. And it’s also about enjoying Bonaire, the Caribbean capital of ocean conservation, home to a dynamic culinary culture (and some of the region’s greatest restaurants) and a growing fine spirits movement. 

Bonaire Rum Week is a series of events held across the island, from beach parties with steel bands to rum-pairing dinners to sunset cocktails, all in spectacular waterfront settings.

“The first edition of Bonaire Rum Week was a massive success, and we can’t wait for the 2023 edition,” said Alexander Britell, editor and publisher of Caribbean Journal, which organizes the event in collaboration with Tourism Corporation Bonaire. “There is no summer festival quite like this; it’s a must-visit event whether you’re a longtime rum aficionado or just looking for a great beach vacation in the Caribbean.”

The event puts the spotlight on Bonaire, the crown jewel of the ABC islands, one that’s renowned as the global capital of diving and marine conservation, from a landmark marine protected area that goes all around the island to the home of the region’s premier coral restoration movement. 

Bonaire Rum Week is a chance for “locals and visitors can mingle while experiencing Bonaire’s culinary scene,” said Miles Mercera, CEO of Tourism Corporation Bonaire. 

So what’s on the agenda? 

The event kicks off with a VIP event on June 12; on June 13, there’s the grand opening party at Bonaire’s original cocktail bar, Rum Runners. 

June 14 is the can’t miss Rum on the Beach party at the Plaza Resort Bonaire; June 15 includes a Rum Lunch at Harbour Village and Rom Rincon’s fantastic Happy Hour on the sunset deck at the Divi Flamingo Resort later in the afternoon. 

June 16 includes a Rum Happy Hour at the Buddy Dive resort and the unforgettable rum evening at the Brass Boer, the number one restaurant in the Caribbean (and the only Caribbean outpost of Holland’s three-Michelin-star Die Librije.)

And in another new addition, June 17 sees a combination of Taste of Bonaire, the island’s regular street food festival with an infusion of rum. 

This year’s event is supported by Moon Tower Bonaire, along with hotel partners including Delfins Beach Resort, Harbour Village Beach Club, Captain Don’s Habitat, Plaza Beach and Dive Resort Bonaire, Grand Windsock Bonaire , Bamboo Bonaire, Buddy Dive Resort Bonaire, Divi Flamingo Beach Resort, along with Rum Runners and the Brass Boer. The official travel partner of the event is Caradonna Adventures.

“This is an unforgettable week in the Caribbean,” said Guy Britton, EVP and Managing Editor at Caribbean Journal. “If you’re a Caribbean aficionado, this is a must on your calendar.”

For more, visit Bonaire Rum Week. For questions, contact rum@caribjournal.com.