The Road To Carnival

One of the twin islands greatest festival is that of Carnival! The dynamism of the festival has sparked its reproduction throughout the rest of the Caribbean island chain, and as far away as Toronto, New York, Miami and Notting Hill. But everyone knows that Trinidad is the “mother of all West Indian carnivals”, which attracts visitors from all over the world, including international celebrities like Halle Berry. Its roots are here (Discovertt, 2016).

 

Source: Pinterest (2016)

This festival really isn’t just about the Monday and Tuesday – it’s a whole season that essentially starts the day after Christmas Day. Carnival parties & fetes begin, and the radio airwaves and local TV music channels are inundated with the latest soca music. It is the irresistible rhythms and infectious melodies of soca that are the driving force on the road Carnival Monday and Tuesday, and in all the pre-Carnival parties.

The Road To Carnival

The fetes, competition and band launches begins after New Years, sometimes even as early as November- December. These even has spectacular performances done by famous local artiste which all aids in building the Carnival Anxiety. The closer you get to Carnival, to stronger the anxiety. According to the famous Iwer George…its fete after fete after fete after fete!!!!!

Bacchanal Week

Acording to Discovertt (2016), the build-up to Carnival Monday and Tuesday starts from the week before, with countless major fetes and finals of limbo, stickfighting and traditional carnival character competitions.

On “Fantastic Friday”, in the wee hours of the morning, there is a re-enactment of the Canboulay Riots of 1881, which ensured that – despite interference – the Carnival would go on and belong to the people. Once night falls, Soca contenders gear up for the International Soca Monarch competition – either as competitors or quite often as guests.

Carnival Saturday & Sundays hosts the Kiddies Carnival, with Saturday night reserved for the best bands of steel pan players competing for the Panorama title. In the final hours before the launch of the day parades, the last major competitions culminate with the Dimanche Gras show, where the best preservers of the traditional calypso artform compete in the Calypso Monarch competition, and the Carnival Kings and Queens showcase their magnificent costumes, vying for the crown  All night, several fetes keep the energy going before people break out into the streets in the wee hours of Monday morning to play J’Ouvert.

 

Source: Express Children, 2016