Carnival kicks into high gear
Posted: Monday, February 23, 2004
By Charleen Thomas, Newsday TT
THE Merry Monarch that is Carnival 2004, began to reign at 5 am and will continue to grip the spirit of the people engaged in the celebrations until midnight tomorrow. Carnival festivities began months ago in Trinidad and Tobago, with the launch of bands and dozens of parties, which prepared the fun-loving, partying Trinis and other visitors for these two days of bacchanal. Minister of Tourism Howard Chin Lee has said that there are 47,000 visitors for the festival, an increase of 11,000 over last year. The police have put their plans in place to ensure a crime-free event and are assuring the population that there will be a "sense of comfort," but at the same time advising to exercise caution.
Jouvert masqueraders got the biggest party in the world started when they hit the streets with their muddied or coloured bodies, invading not only the capital Port-of-Spain, but other communities with their revellery. They are expected to continue to display themselves for the thousands of visitors way past the rising of the sun this morning, long after the King and Queen of Jouvert are crowned. The presence on the streets of the Jouvert masqueraders followed the crowning of the Calypso Monarch and the King and Queen of Carnival at last night's Dimanche Gras competition at the Queen's Park Savannah. That was preceeded by the Panorama finals on Saturday night at the same venue, where St Augustine-based Exodus, played their way to the title of Panorama champs 2004.
The band thrilled the thousands who attended the show and was a clear favourite with their clean, sweet melody echoing through the night. Another big title already claimed is that of International Soca Monarch. The "girls them darlin" Bunji Garlin put on a magnificent showing at the "Fantastic Friday" event at the Queen's Park Oval to not only take the converted title, but also a Lexus from the defending champ Iwer George, who placed eleventh. The children too had their fun in the sun displaying their colourful costumes over the last two weekends. The creativity of the resplendent pieces portrayed by the tiny tots and pre-teens is expected to outshine those costumes of the big bands which will hit the streets from midday today. Today's Parade of the Bands traditionally sees masqueraders displaying very little of their costume, opting instead to save the sparkling, colourful beads and skimpy bikinis for tomorrow's showing.
Tomorrow, the bands will be on the parade route from as early as 7 am to ensure they parade before the judges at the various judging points at Adam Smith Square, Victoria Square, downtown and the big stage at the Queen's Park Savannah in a bid to capture the Band-of-the-Year title. On both days the energy of the masqueraders is expected to be extremely high, as they abandon their stress and frustrations of the year, in a display of total freedom. Up for grabs too is the major title of Road March. It is the song which is played most "on the road." The contest is expected to be close as both Sherwayne Winchester's "Look the Band Coming" and Destra Garcia's "Bonnie and Clyde" are crowd favourites.
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