KADOOMENT
most colourful carnivals in the Caribbean region, even outnumbering the twin-island republic, with over 20 bands with various sections marching on the road, while Trinidad & Tobago usually has approximately 12 all-inclusive bands. Remarkably, despite its large size chipping down the narrow roads, the march was fairly organised, starting and ending on time.
The reaction of the majority of Barbadian locals was that Grand Kadooment was impressive, and, according to Matthew Babb, who chose to join the march out of costume, the festival takes pride in organisation, although he praised Jamaica for having a dynamic entertainment package on the day.
“I love the idea of mixing up the music for a carnival, which probably isn’t the most authentic, but enjoyable for a diversity of people who attend,” Babb told The Gleaner.
HIGH ENERGY
When Bajans say non-stop feting they mean it, having brief breaks (less than five minutes) along the route and no lunch until the journey is complete.
Like the temperature on Monday, which hit a high of 96°F, the musical energy was also fiery, provided mainly by the disc jockeys. However, Krave the Band outdid some of the more popular band names like Baje International (the largest with 12 costumed sections), Zulu International and Khosa by having guest entertainer Machel Montano on one of their trucks.
And, others like the posh and voguish Aura, which was primarily filled with millennials, had their celebrity ambassador, Rihanna, playing mas with them for most of the day, which closed at 5 p.m., for the bands to go to their spots.