Carnival is a long-distance race. All Caribbean marathon runners in that discipline are fully aware of it: one of the legs that cannot be missed at the beginning of the summer is Saint Lucia’s Carnival.
An explosive cocktail of parties, parades, feathers and good vibes that managed over the years to become a landmark on the calendar of festivities in the Caribbean. Every year the event attracts tens of thousands of festival-goers from all over the region and from around the world!
From the – oversized for the occasion – traditional Friday Night in Gros Islet, to the Monday and Tuesday parades in the streets of Castries or to the many parties that abound in the four corners of the island, let’s embark on one of the wildest events of the summer.
Although the festivities have started since the beginning of the summer holidays, the pinnacle of our carnival journey begins mid-July with the unmissable grilled conch in one of the many restaurants by the sea, in Gros Islet. We are barely finishing licking our fingers, we are already caught up in the sound of the huge speakers resonating in the heart of the small town converted, for the occasion, into an XXL open-air nightclub. It’s Friday night and it’s impossible not to become contaminated by the joyful spirit invading the busy streets? Tourists and locals are mingling in the ambient bacchanal as they get carried away by the sound of the latest music hits. The party will last all night long. And it’s like that every week. Friday Night in Gros Islet is a must that never disappoints. But during this time of year, it’s just the introduction to a festive wave that will last several days.
The next day, we are already getting ready for the next party while still trying to recover. Whatever the time of the day, there’s always a party going on… whether it’s a sophisticated brunch in one of Rodney Bay’s many lounge bars or on a wild beach or even a “jouvè” sprinkled with colored powder in the countryside… the options are endless. Among the legendary events that make Saint Lucia’s Carnival so special there is the Family show at Daren Sammy Cricket Stadium where the best Caribbean artists of the moment line up for an unforgettable concert. There is also the ‘Remedy’ on the beach in Pigeon Island or the ‘Brazen’ party in Malabar Beach, Rum Bucket, Steam Boatride… the list is long! So will be the weekend…
Monday, in the early morning, both exhausted and overexcited we are getting ready for the parade that will flood the Capital city with feathers and sequins to the sound of the latest Soca hits… such as the now famous «Hello Carnival». This whirlwind of colors and decibels carries away our aching bodies now mingling with those of our fellow carnivalists from local, regional and international origins. Xuvo, Just4Fun, Island Tribe, Legends, Xpressionz, The Tribe of Twel, Red, Thrive or Fuzion Mas compete in extravagance and colorful costumes to win the title of best Carnival band! A very high-level competition. The girls are beautiful like birds of paradise. The men as Olympian gods. When they go up the stage in front of the jury that will award the title, they are seized by an unparalleled joyful and communicative fury… they wine, they jump, they run in all directions… the main thing is not so much to win but to unwind and have maximum fun over the two days of the parade… Objective well achieved! We will definitely be back next year!
Auteur : Edgar Parfait.
