Chairman of the National Carnival Commission (NCC) Winston “Gypsy” Peters expects more visitors for Carnival 2024 as the organisation has been promoting the event abroad.
“I think we’ll have more people in our Carnival because we did some foreign intervention in terms of us going to America and a couple of (other) places to ensure we did promote our Carnival.”
Speaking to members of the media at the launch of Carnival 2024 at the Queen's Park Savannah, Port of Spain on Saturday, Peters said TT had to compete with the other TT-styled carnivals around the world.
[caption id="attachment_1043799" align="alignnone" width="1024"] One of the masqureaders during the pre-show of the launch of Carnival 2024, Carnival City, Queen's Park Savannah, Port of Spain on Saturday. - Ayanna Kinsale[/caption]
He said TT gave the world this type of carnival so TT Carnival would continue to be, as the slogan said, the Mother of All Carnivals.
He added there was no where else people could see the traditional Carnival characters which were indigenous to TT and encouraged the population to help, in whatever way they could, to make it a better Carnival on February 12 and 13, 2024.
Peters said people should expect “bumper to bumper events,” an increased number of sponsors, and improvements in prize money for competitions. He did not elaborate.
[caption id="attachment_1043800" align="alignnone" width="1024"] Members of the Youth Quake group perform during the launch of Carnival 2024, Carnival City, Queen's Park Savannah, Port of Spain on Saturday. - Ayanna Kinsale[/caption]
“They (sponsors) are seeing the value again in our Carnival. They are seeing our Carnival on the up-and-up. We have the best Carnival in the world you know."
The launch started with a procession of masqueraders along “the track.” Although an announcement encouraged people to “look to the east” where a performance of masqueraders was taking place, very few spectators actually saw it as it could not be easily viewed from their seats.
On entering the Grand Stand from the track, the procession, made up of masqueraders including king and queen costumes and traditional mas characters such as the burrokeet, dame lorraine, moko jumbie, fancy indian, and pierrot grenade, and led by Peters waving the TT national flag, made its way backstage.
[caption id="attachment_1043801" align="alignnone" width="1024"] Members of the Courts Sound Specialists of Laventille peform during the launch of Carnival 2024, Carnival City, Queen's Park Savannah, Port of Spain on Saturday. - Ayanna Kinsale[/caption]
About 30 minutes later the MCs announced the start of the launch and, from backstage, Courts Sound Specialists of Lavantille began playing a medley of calypso, soca and contemporary music to the enjoyment of the small crowd in the stand.
At one point, members of the Massy Trinidad All Stars Steel Orchestra took to the stage where their instruments were set up for a performance. However, Sound Specialists kept playing and eventually the members left the stage.
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