Carnival in Jamaica 2024 gets huge thumbs up
With Carnival in Jamaica road march 2024 now in the island’s rear-view mirror, representatives of the various bands are delighted with the turnout.
Xodus representative Kamal Bankay counted the day as a success.
“It’s interesting because we’ve had amazing deejays and we had live performances on various trucks,” he told THE STAR. “So the highpoint for the carnival for me would be in ‘micro-sections’ meaning that when people had an amazing time, the deejays and the live performances on their respective trucks, it would have been a high point for them.”
Noting that this year Xodus’ sections were sold out with 4,500 fêters, he said, “Going across Trafalgar Road when I was able to see the front of the band to the back of the band, since it was so long, it gave me goosebumps you know because it was like a sight to behold because it was one of the biggest carnivals we’ve ever had in Jamaica.”
Emphasising his gratitude for the support of both the revellers and their media partners this season, Bankay said he could not identify any low points for the day.
The GenXs Carnival in Jamaica experience had both high and low points on the road on Sunday. The revellers who chose to jump with the band had access to unwavering vibes on the road, premium amenities at their Liguanea Club muster point, enviable costumes and priceless memories. GenXs director Kino Johnson shared that the preliminary number of ‘GenXers’ doubled the final numbers recorded in 2023 with more than 4,000 jumpers on the road.
As for the performance of the band versus Jamaica’s other bands participating in Carnival 2024 Yard Mas and Xodus, Kibwe McGann, GenXs’ director, was confident.
“We’ve never really been focused on local competition. Our relationship goes beyond the borders of Jamaica,” he said. He described the GenXs team as being personally privy to the nuances of regional carnivals outside of Jamaica having attended them, therefore being in the perfect position to design an authentic masquerading experience for the Jamaican audience.
Dominic Bell, J Wray and Nephew communications manager, said this year’s carnival surpassed his expectations, with more first-time revellers, giving a refreshing and promising feel to carnival experience in Jamaica.
“We are more than elated, the expectations have been met and surpassed. Both the Xodus and Yard Mas teams operated as a trifecta for Campari Carnival and we’re more than happy with the turnout today [yesterday], of both revellers on the road and persons who are participating in Campari Boulevard,” Bell told THE STAR. “What the Government does through the carnival brand in Jamaica is put on their stamp of authority on it as a national product and they help with some level of marketing and they are happy with the product because they are expecting a generation of $5 billion from carnival in Jamaica this year.”
Bell also said that he is impressed with how far Jamaica has come in terms of carnival.
“I feel like Jamaica is lucky to have promotional and executional elements like Xodus and Yard Mas to really enhance the product year in, year out. It’s becoming its own carnival, inclusive of dancehall and reggae and other Jamaican elements now, so it doesn’t seem like an import from the Eastern Caribbean, it feels like an authentic Jamaican experience,” he said.