Countdown Begins To Trinidad’s Carnival

It’s almost time for another Trinidad carnival this year and if you are going or still planning on going, here are some fast facts you should know about this year’s carnival.

DATE: The event, known as ‘The Greatest Show On Earth,’ is officially set for Mon, Feb 20, 2023 - Tue, Feb 21, 2023 but it’s always a non-stop party all month and especially that weekend, especially beginning on Friday night, Feb. 17th.

GETTING THERE: Caribbean Airlines has announced an expansion of flight services for the festival. The carrier is now operating an additional flight between Orlando, FL, and Trinidad on Feb. 14. The flights are now open for sale, the company said. Flights and packages from Miami and Fort Lauderdale are already sold out on Expedia from Feb. 17-24th.

To book a flight to the carnival from South Florida on Expedia you would have to choose Feb. 10th to the 21st and a round-trip flight was around US$,1,100 as of Jan. 30th. Flights plus accommodation from Feb. 10th to 21st has limited availability if booking from Miami on Expedia with costs ranging from US $2,200 and up.

On AirBnB, condos are renting at over US $200 per night in Port-of-Spain for Feb. 10th-21st.

BY DR. WINSTON A WHYTE

It had been 3 years since I visited Jamaica and I didn’t know what to expect. How much did the pandemic influence the economic, social and education function of the country? What changes would be visually evident? These were the questions that entered my mind prior to my recent visit to Jamaica – post pandemic.

To my surprise, the country appeared unchanged, and the people remained the same. I first headed to St. Thomas to visit Bath Primary School, which received 24 boxes of school supplies during the Pandemic.

The road to Morant Bay was horrible as it was being resurfaced and prepared for a new highway from Kingston through St. Thomas; and it took us twice the time to reach our destination.

But once we were at Bath, it was as if time stood still as the terrain was lush with vegetation, the river water was running, and the animals grazed peacefully in the green fields.

The elementary students were crisply dressed in their beautiful school uniform, displayed impeccable manners and the environment was clean and fresh.

WHAT TO EXPECT: Carnival

Monday opens with J’ouvert at 4:00 a.m., where revelers parade through the streets immersed in paint, grease and mud, partying until sunrise. Later on Monday, and all day on Carnival Tuesday, thousands of masqueraders flood the streets throughout the islands in bold, colorful, vibrant costumes, dancing through the parade routes to the exhilarating sounds of soca, steelpan and calypso music.

Note that organizers have cancelled this year’s International Soca Monarch, (ISM), event. This came after soca star Machel Montano announced the date of his own concert, always one of the hottest tickets in town, as “Fantastic Friday,” the Friday before Carnival, a slot traditionally claimed by ISM.

Geoffrey Wharton-Lake and

Ricky Ragoonanan, directors of Caribbean Prestige Foundation, which organizes and promotes ISM, cited financial constraints as the reason for the cancellation.

Other events from Friday, Feb 17th include according to TnTisland.com the following:

Fri. 17th Feb. - Re-enactment of Canboulay Riots & Dragon Presentation at Queen’s Park Savannah, Port of Spain; 6pm.

Fri. 17th Feb. - Kaiso

Showcase’s Tent at Palms Club, San Fernando.

Fri. 17th Feb. - Kalypso Revue

Tent at SWWTU Hall, Wrightson Road, Port of Spain; 8 pm.

Fri. 17th Feb. - Machel Montano 40 concert at the Hasely Crawford Stadium, Port of Spain.

Sat. 18th Feb. - National Panorama Large Conventional

Bands Finals at Grand Stand, Queen’s Park Savannah, Port of Spain; 7 pm.

Sat. 18th Feb. - Intellectual Chutney Monarch Finals in honour of Black Stalin (Dr. Leroy Calliste) and Sundar Popo (Sunilal Popo Bahora) at Skinner Park, San Fernando.

Sat. 18th Feb. - Kalypso Revue Tent at SWWTU Hall, Wrightson Road, Port of Spain; 8 pm.

Sun. 19th Feb. - J’Ouvert in Roxborough, Tobago.

Sun. 19th Feb. - National Calypso Monarch Final at Queen’s Park Savannah, Port of Spain; 7:00 pm.

Sun. 19th Feb. - Roxborough

Kiddies Carnival at Cyd Grey Complex

Tobago

Mon. 20th Feb. - J’Ouvert 2023 - all regions - East, North, South, Central and Tobago; 4 am.

Mon. 20th Feb. - Regional Pan on D Road - all regions - East, North, South, Central and Tobago (Crown Point and Roxborough).

Mon. 20th Feb. - Traditional Individuals Competition & Stick Fighting Presentation at Queen’s Park Savannah, Port of Spain; 9 am.

Mon. 20th Feb. - Carnival

Monday - Parade of the Bandsall regions - East, North, South, Central and Tobago.