Easter Bonnet pageant participant
TriniView.com Reporters
Event Date: April 07, 2007
Posted: April 13, 2007
Bonnets and baskets filled with bunnies, flowers and colored eggs were plentiful on Easter Saturday and were indeed dazzling sights to behold. Little ladies and gentlemen from around Port of Spain and other parts of the country participated in the Port of Spain Corporation Easter Bonnet which began at City Hall and ended at the Brian Lara Promenade.
The Easter Bonnet pageant and the march-past bands assembled at City Hall from about ten o'clock anxiously awaiting to strut their stuff down the streets of the main town. The bands that lead the march were the Trinidad and Tobago Fire Services Band, the Trinidad and Tobago Cadet Force Band and the Trinidad and Tobago Prison Services Band. One of the amazing facts about these bands was that the diversity of instruments ranging from the Steelpan to the tuba which produced tremendous energy to draw multitudes of crowds and keep the march-past participants invigorated.
The parade passed in front of major landmarks in Port of Spain such as the Roman Catholic Cathedral before reaching the Brian Lara Promenade. The pageant participants, particularly the girls, marched proudly down the street in their colourful dresses and waved at the curious onlookers.
At the promenade, a stage was already set up for the pageanteers to present themselves to the public. There were also two tents: one for the DJ set-up and the other for the public, the judges and the other actors in the show.
The girls certainly outnumbered the boys in the pageant, dressed in their pretty bonnets of baby blue, soft pink, pale purple, sunny yellow and cool green matched perfectly with large and elaborate hats uniquely shaped with flowers, bunnies and eggs. The dresses that the girls wore were also very detailed and ranged in length, texture and fit.
The boys also received much support from the audience. Although they were very few in number, their outfits were also elaborate and the themes of their suits were quite creative. In fact, Mayor of Port of Spain, Alderman Murchison Brown in his opening address mentioned his fascination with K' Sean Peters' outfit "Playing Cricket for Easter", which took a cue from the current World Cup cricket season.
Alderman Brown also expressed his belief that it was good to keep the Easter Bonnet Parade alive and that he saw talent and artistry in the designs that the pageanteers modeled. He thanked the parents for bringing out their children; the judges - Ms. Valerie Greene and Ms. Norma Clarke - who he believed would have a difficult time selecting among the pretty gowns; the Special Forces for taking the time to march with the children on Easter Saturday; and the other organizers of the event.
Although the event was mainly about the children, teenagers and adults also made their presence felt. They also joined in the fun and paraded their Easter gowns. The categories were: Babes in Arms to 3 years, 4 - 6 years old, 7-9 years old, 10 - 12 years old, Teenagers, and Adults.
The Master of Ceremonies for the day was Ms. Seeta Taylor, decked in bright yellow, which epitomized the brightness of the sun and which fit right into the brightly colored environment. Behind her was a table laid with trophies for the winners. Alderman Murchison Brown, Mrs. Brown and Councillor Joel London did the honours in presenting the awards to the winners who were visibly excited about their feat. The other participants seemed content although some were not yet able to understand the nature of the competition or their prizes. They are as follows:
Babes in Arms - 3 years old
1st / N' Janela Remy
2nd / Amaya Sumptr-Regis
3rd / Gabriela Johnson
4 - 6 category (girls)
1st / Natalia
2nd / Teisha Thomas
3rd / Selena Neckles
4 - 6 category (boys)
1st / K' Sean Peters
2nd / Aquela Pereira
3rd / Nicholas West
7 - 9 category
1st / Jerrisha Regis
2nd / Shania Angel Ramjit
3rd / Dominique Hutches
10 - 12 category
1st / Shenice Jervae
2nd / Andecia Pereira
3rd / Andrea Pereira
Teenagers
1st / Amanda Mc Lean
Adult category
1st place / Pamela Jones
2nd place / Margaret Remy
3rd place / Carol Lee Coplan
Other Titles:
Queen of the Day / Pamela Jones
Special Prize Winner in the Adult Category / Mona de Piza
Princess of the Day:
Category / Name
4 - 6 / Natalia
10 - 12 / Shanice Jervae
Teenage / Amanda Mc Lean
Prince of the Day: Aquela Pereira
Woman of Natural Material Award: Shanice Bailey
Another treat for the evening was a Calypso by Eater Bonnet participant and 2007 Junior Calypso Monarch, Teneisha Weeks, accompanied by her sister Michaela who was also a participant at the competition. Her winning song "Schoolbag Dilemma" had the small audience on their feet.
All in all, the 2007 Easter Bonnet Parade was a success, and from the look of things, parents and children alike would certainly look forward to next year's Easter Bonnet pageant.
POS Corporation Easter Bonnet Parade in pictures:
www.triniview.com/gallery/main.php?g2_itemId=167329
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