IN A MAJOR cut reflective of the scaling-down of the Greatest Show on Earth due to the ongoing pandemic, National Carnival Commission (NCC) chairman Winston "Gypsy" Peters announced on Monday that $25-$30m has been set aside for this year's show dubbed, A Taste of Carnival.
Peters, in a telephone interview on Monday afternoon following his press conference earlier in the day, said the annual budget for Carnival is usually more than $100m – with $160m being spent on Carnival 2020 and $150m on the 2019 edition. There was no Carnival last year because of strict public health restrictions in place at that time.
Speaking at the press conference at the Queen's Park Savannah, Peters also revealed the introduction of a pod-system to ensure patrons enjoy live shows at the savannah while maintaining public health rules of no gatherings of ten or more people.
The pods, which resemble a mini boxing ring, will come in two sizes – one for six patrons and less, and another for a maximum of nine patrons.
The NCC's official calendar of events was also revealed and it stated that the Carnival season kicks off on February 4, with the first event in the calendar being a virtual calypso show. Calypso tents will open on February 11.
“The proposed budget so far, we are supposed to get about 25 to 30 million dollars,” Peters said.
[caption id="attachment_937370" align="alignnone" width="1024"] NCC chairman Winston "Gypsy" Peters makes a point during a press conference on Monday at the Queen's Park Savannah. PHOTO BY SUREASH CHOLAI -[/caption]
Events will be held at three venues across the country: Queen’s Park Savannah and Queen’s Hall in Port of Spain, and at the Naparima Bowl in the south land.
Gypsy said that while A Taste of Carnival can be considered a scaled down version of the normal Carnival, it was still an attempt at creating history. He added that for now and the unforeseeable future, there will be no such thing as a normal Trini Carnival.
Many have questioned why TT should even risk having a Carnival with the pandemic still around and with the advent of the highly transmissible omicron strain of the covid19 virus now in TT, but NCC officials say they see the Taste of Carnival as an opportunity for the country to evolve its Carnival product and foster a “collective approach” to celebrating the event safely and responsibly.
The official calendar of events speaks to calypso tents, a national extempo prelims, a national pan event, calypso fiesta, a Tobago Pan event, Senior Kings and Queens prelims, Kaisorama, Dimanche Gras, the Canboulay Riots re-enactment and stick-fighting exhibition and, on what would have been Carnival Monday and Tuesday, a Brass Concert and Carnival History Showcase.
Peters added that the Brass Concert is an appreciation concert which will see brass bands from the protective services performing.
“It is our way of saying 'thank you' to all those members of the protective services – the police, fire, national security, medical and public health – for their hard work and sacrifices in k
