The National Carnival Commission of Trinidad has announced the lineup for what is being called a “Taste of Carnival”, a combination of virtual and in-person events in spaces that are considered safe zones. It’s a scaled-down version of the country’s Carnival celebration — which has long been called “The Greatest Show on Earth” — because of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
The events, which are set to begin on Friday, February 4, with a virtual calypso marquee, will also include live calypso marquees, pantaloon performances and Carnival King and Queen competitions. The schedule will also feature a re-enactment of the Canboulay Riot, an important annual ode to Trinidad’s revolutionary past, in which performers act out the revolt of their ancestors against British colonial forces who tried to outlaw Carnival celebrations.
“Here is an opportunity for us to evolve carnival and culture. Here is an opportunity for us to introduce even more creativity, adaptability and sustainability to the festival,” said the Chairman of the KKK. Winston Peters during a press conference on Monday at the Queen’s Park Savannah in Port-of-Spain, the nation’s capital. “Here is our opportunity to show the world that Trinidad and Tobago takes culture and people’s well-being and health seriously.”
News of this year’s official line-up comes just weeks after the country’s Ministry of Tourism, Culture and the Arts announced that although Trinidad’s carnival would go ahead, there would be no parties and no band parades. This decision, along with others – such as limiting approved events in the safe zone to 50 percent capacity, controlled entry and exit points and hygiene stations – are all part of the effort to prevent the spread of COVID-19.
During Monday’s press conference, the carnival commission introduced the concept of pod seating, which will be created at Queen’s Park Savannah, where many of the carnival’s main acts will be staged. Pods are miniature platforms without canopies. Some will hold a maximum of six people, while others can hold up to nine guests. Pods have become a trend in stadiums and large concert venues during the COVID-19 pandemic.
All events that take place during the carnival season in the places designated as safe zones will be accessible only to vaccinated patrons and performers.
The changes to this year’s celebrations in Trinidad reflect the key ways in which the coronavirus pandemic continues to affect carnival, a global cultural industry and one of the biggest economic drivers across the Caribbean. The carnival industry has had to reimagine the ways these cultural experiences are presented.
St. Vincent and the Grenadines, for example, has announced plans to stage its Vincy Mas celebrations in the “metaverse,” complete with digital costumes, NFTs (non-fungible tokens), virtual cultural exhibits and a virtual parade.
In Saint Lucia, this year’s carnival is called “Vaxxed Mas”. There will be a band parade. However, all participants, including entertainers, patrons, support staff and service providers must be fully vaccinated.
Carnival celebrations in Rio de Janeiro will now be held at the end of April rather than the traditional last weekend of February, as the number of cases of the coronavirus and the omicron variant increases in Brazil and spreads throughout that country.
Back in Trinidad, according to the National Carnival Commission, “Taste of Carnival” will be the platform on which they effectively market Carnival 2023. This year’s Carnival events will be held until March 1.
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