The people of Barbados will be celebrating the nation's 49th anniversary of independence and the climax of the event starts the 50th anniversary festivities. From Lucy south down to Christ Church and throughout all the parishes, the people of Barbados will be celebrating the nation's 49th anniversary of independence, which marks the start of celebrations for the island nation's 50th birthday! Under the theme, "Our Pride, the Broken Trident," a commemorative broken trident will tour the island's 11 parishes in a yearlong journey that begins Tuesday and ends on Nov. 29, 2016.