The most exciting time to visit Port of Spain is Carnival, which falls in February or March (the Monday and Tuesday before Ash Wednesday). The city transforms entirely: street parties called fetes run for weeks beforehand, and the main days — J'ouvert (predawn Monday) and Carnival Tuesday — are unmissable if you have any interest in music, costume, and mass celebration. Book accommodation and fete tickets months in advance.
Outside of Carnival, Trinidad has a warm tropical climate year-round with temperatures around 29–32°C. The dry season runs roughly from January to May; the wet season from June to November, with heavy afternoon showers but rarely all-day rain. The city never gets cold. Hurricane season affects the region but Trinidad sits south of the main hurricane belt and rarely takes direct hits.
The steelband competitions (Panorama) and calypso tents run in the weeks before Carnival and are worth seeing in their own right — tickets are available locally at modest prices.