By Carlena Knight
Several of the marquee Carnival events will be making their return this year following a three-year hiatus due to the Covid pandemic.
Last year, a scaled down version of the festival was held, the first since the coronavirus came on the scene in early 2020, with a number of events subsequently left off the roster due to various reasons. But this year’s schedule, which was disseminated yesterday, now features a full cadre of shows and parades.
The Queen of Carnival competition, Panorama, Children’s Carnival, Junior Calypso, Junior Party Monarch and Mr and Miss Teenage Pageant will form part of this year’s celebrations.
Mr and Miss Teenage Pageant will take place on July 22.
A day later, on July 23, Queen of Carnival will happen as part of pre-Carnival events.
July 30 is the date set aside for Children’s Carnival and Junior Calypso, while Junior Party Monarch is scheduled for August 2.
Three days later, on August 5, Panorama will take place.
The reigning Panorama champion is Hells Gate Steel Orchestra who won the competition in 2019 with a Khan Cordice arrangement of Burning Flames’ ‘Fire Unda Me Foot’.
Veron Henry, pan tuner and son of founding member of the Hells Gate Steel Orchestra Eustace Henry, welcomed the return of the show for the first time since 2019. Last year, Panorama was replaced by a handful of smaller events due to the level of preparation required in making the signature show a success.
“I am extremely excited about the return of Panorama 2023 and do hope that all entities are indeed making every effort to make sure that Panorama 2023 is not only a reality but a tremendous success for all involved, especially the youth because we are losing them slowly every year there is no Panorama,” Henry told Observer yesterday.
The full list of Carnival events includes an official opening on July 27, T-Shirt Mas’ on July 29, Jaycees Queen Show on July 31, Drue’s Day and Emancipation Watch Night on August 1, Caribbean Melting Pot on August 3, Calypso Monarch on August 4, Party Monarch on August 6, J’ouvert and Carnival Monday on August 7, and Parade of the Bands and Last Lap on August 8.
Registration is now underway for vendors and booth operators plus Mr and Miss Teenage Pageant, Junior Carnival (mas’), Junior Calypso, Junior Party Monarch, J’ouvert troupes, mas’ troupes, T-Shirt Mas’ troupes, individual mas’, Monday wear, Carnival floats, calypso tents, Calypso Monarch and Party Monarch.
The deadline for all Carnival competitions and calypso tents is May 15, while vendor and booth operators’ registration concludes on July 3.
Forms can be collected from Mondays to Thursdays between 9am and 3.30pm and Fridays 9am to 2pm at the Department of Creative Industries offices on Old Parham Road and Redcliffe Street and the Cultural Unit office on Lower Nevis Street.
Completed forms must be returned to the Old Parham Road office upstairs the KFC and Inet building only.
A $4.2 million budget has been set for this year’s Carnival celebrations, an increase from the little over $3 million in last year’s allocation.
A launch will be held on April 15 starting with a T-Shirt Mas’ around the city and followed by a concert at the Rising Sun Grounds.
Masqueraders are encouraged to wear their old T-Shirt Mas’ shirts from previous years. The 4pm starting point for the parade is at the Old House of Culture on Parliament Drive.
The parade will turn right onto Queen Elizabeth Highway, right onto Independence Drive, left onto Redcliffe Street, right onto Thames Street, right onto High Street, up Factory Road and right onto Parliament Drive for the climax.
The concert will be at 7pm.
The ‘Caribbean’s greatest summer festival’ is scheduled to take place from July 27 to August 8.
