Belize Unveils Packed Calendar for 45th Independence Celebrations

The National Celebrations Commission has unveiled a packed calendar of cultural, historical and civic activities to mark Belize’s 45^th anniversary of Independence. From heritage tours and carnival road marches to Pan Yaad and National Service Day, Belizeans will have several opportunities to celebrate under this year’s theme, “Look at Me. I Am Belize @45.” Reporter Emogene Herrera reports.

Emogene Herrera, Love News: Belize is getting ready for a month of celebration as the National Celebrations Commission rolls out the 2026 September celebrations calendar. This year’s celebrations are being held under the theme “Look at me, I am Belize at 45.”

Eluide Miller, Deputy Mayor of Belize City: “We partner along with the commission on a number of activities. We have our 10th Bram, we have our uniform parade and we have a number of activities scheduled throughout the month of September. And so I’m encouraged all of our residents at home and abroad to keep in tune with the National Celebrations calendar and to support the events where they could.”

Emogene Herrera, Love News: The month-long schedule will combine history and culture with nationwide heritage tours, educational activities and of course the traditional festivities Bellizans look forward to every September. On this year’s calendar there is a cultural heritage tour that features educational and history-focused exhibitions. Over a two-week period the tour will make stops in San Ignacio, Benque Viejo, Belmopan, Belize City, Orange Walk and Corozal. Perhaps the most anticipated is the Carnival Road march in Belize City and Orange Walk. Belize City’s Carnival hits the street on September 5th, while Orange Walk will have theirs on September 21st. For Deputy Mayor Eluide Miller, his favorite September’s staple is the Panyaad in the Old Capital.

Eluide Miller, Deputy Mayor of Belie City: “I’m most looking forward to Panyaad, right? It’s one of my favorite September events, but also we have the Carnival Road March coming up this weekend. We also have tomorrow the Belizean at 45 Creative and Cultural Excellence Awards, which is one of the most meaningful events in my view, where we really acknowledge all those major contributors to Belizean arts and culture over our 45 years of independence.”

Emogene Herrera, Love News: As the month moves along, the focus turns from celebration to reflection and civic responsibility. On September 19th National Service Day, a day dedicated to community service and volunteerism in honor of the legacy of Belize’s father of the nation, the Right Honorable George Price. 

Eluide Miller, Deputy Mayor of Belize City: “September is our month of national celebrations, a month where we display a great deal of pride and love and patriotism for our beloved Belize. And so I want to really encourage everyone to celebrate Belize at 45 and all that means for us as a country, and especially to our youth. I want them to acknowledge how far we’ve come and the promise, all the promise that the future holds for Belize.”

Emogene Herrera, Love News: As for the other events planned, Deputy Mayor Miller says the Belize City Council is very much involved in the city’s events in collaboration with the Celebrations Commission. Similar activities are planned for the other municipalities with each calendar accessible on the National Celebration Commission Belize Facebook page and the Belize City Council Instagram page. Reporting for Love News, I am Emogene Herrera.