Central Elite Mas Band portraying ‘Ardour’ at Couva, Trinidad on Tuesday, March 4, 2025.
Picture by Devika Ragoonanan
Filling the streets with colourful costumes and exuberant celebrations, spreading happiness, pleasure and togetherness all through the nation, Trinidad and Tobago Carnival earned its repute as ‘The Biggest Present On Earth.’ It’s an electrifying annual competition held on the Monday and Tuesday earlier than Ash Wednesday and is well-known everywhere in the world.
There are a lot of occasions main as much as this a lot anticipated Monday and Tuesday Carnival celebrations a few of which embody a number of all inclusive Chutney/Soca events or fetes, panyard limes and varied competitions held all through the nation main as much as it.
It’s an vitality packed occasion the place folks come from everywhere in the world, to witness, to part-take and to get pleasure from a mix of tradition, meals, music, candy steelpan, creativity, hospitality and good vibes.
The precise Carnival celebration begins early Monday morning earlier than daybreak with J’ouvert, which kicks off the festivities. Individuals cowl themselves with paint, mud and powder flooding the steets behind large music vehicles dancing to the infectious rhythms of Calypso and Soca music.
After J’ouvert, all day Monday and Tuesday there’s ‘Parade of the Bands,’ the place hundreds of masqueraders flood the streets displaying their magnificent, dazzling costumes normally depicting varied themes, crossing the stage, pulsating to the rhythms of the music being performed. That is the place mas bands compete for prizes and bragging rights, it’s nonetheless, the climax of Carnival.
Some main competitors and outcomes for Carnival 2025 are:
Nationwide Calypso Monarch – Helen Francis along with his tune ‘To Whom It Might Be’
King of Carnival – Curtis Eustace along with his portrayal of ‘D’ Spirit of the Gasparee Cave
Queen of Carnival – Roxanne Omalo’s along with her portrayal of Sirena – Mistress of the Seas
Final Soca Champion – Blaka Dan along with his tune ‘Blessing’
Chutney Soca Monarch – Machel Montano with ‘Pepper Vine’ performing alongside Drupatee and Woman Lava
Panorama – Republic Financial institution Exodus
Street March – Machel Montano with ‘Pardy’ (to be introduced)
