Jamaica Carnival ‘back pon de road’
AFTER A brief sojourn, Byron Lee’s Jamaica Carnival is back!
The event, relaunched last year with a mini road parade on Carnival Sunday, was well received and has stirred a new wave of expectations in the carnival arena.
Come Sunday, April 23, paraders can look forward to be ‘back pon de road’ with the original Jamaica Carnival, now rebranded, repackaged and reenergised under the banner ‘Out of Many, One Carnival’.
Julianne Lee is dedicated to keeping her father’s legacy alive by adding the same tenacity and vision to the event.
“Brand Jamaica Carnival is all about uniting everyone regardless of race, colour or creed, through the use of the universal language, music. My dad was a strong believer in that, and so am I. We are a community and participant-based carnival,” Lee said.
Jamaica Carnival is offering more for less with five carnival attire options ranging in price from US$95 to US$285.
“Jamaica Carnival has a road wear option for everyone; from T-shirts to pretty mas, we have it! Our package also includes refreshments along the route. In partnership with vendors, we
will have meals and snacks for sale to satisfy our participants,” Lee added.
COSTUMES ON DISPLAY
The options will include entry-level T-shirts, premium Tshirts, Monday wear, premium costumes, or pretty mas, and design your own.
A series of blow out/street dance events will be held across the island, in Kingston, Montego Bay and St Elizabeth, leading up to the big road march. The first event will be the band launch on January 27. On that day, partners, Usain Bolt’s Tracks and Records and Truck Stop, will have costumes
on display and for sale, while stocks last. The iconic Chukka Cove and Kingston Soca in the City: Cooler Edition, will also be back this year. Jamaica Carnival has also partnered with Supreme Events, promoters of the very popular Sandz event, “to bring carnival to another demographic, this is the peoples’ carnival after all, Out of Many, One Carnival!” Lee emphasised.
This year, the march route will commence at 11 a.m., on Hope Road with two judging areas for the spirit of carnival, with the winning group walking away with free season passes to the 2018 Jamaica Carnival events.