Why Trinis Should Do Jamaica Carnival

Now that Trinidad Carnival is over and the tabanca has fully set in, don't fear my Trini friends, you can always do Jamaica Carnival.

The Jamaica Carnival season is in it's early stages now, but things really pick up around Easter weekend with the Road March being held on April 12.

BUT... I am warning you to not compare Jamaica Carnival to Trinidad's because it's no where on the same scale.  Jamaica Carnival is a very small event (that is growing) and not a national festival.  The road march and costumes are managed by Bacchanal Jamaica, a private entity, and the fetes and J'ouvert are put on by Bacchanal and other promoters.  Even so, it is worth the experience.

Photo credit: Eloquence.com

 

1.  It is cheap(er).
Because of the exchange rate (about J$116 to US$1), Trinis can get more for their money in Jamaica  as it relates to fetes and costumes.  And since Trinis are feteing like oil is US$200 a barrel, then why not?  For instance, a cooler fete can range from US$20-25 and an all inclusive can start from US$70. In addition, you can get a BL costume from US$300 and a FL from US$400. However, keep in mind that the airfare from Trinidad on CAL is pricey with a cost of about US$500-600. If you don't mind a longer route, Copa airlines are sometimes cheaper than CAL (but through Panama).

2. You may not have to pay for accommodation.
Everyone knows a Trini in Jamaica.  I mean there are literally hundreds of Trinis living here.  You must know one who would be willing to put you up for at least a week (not me of course). But please, if you do go this route, offer to pay for groceries or contribute to the light bill because those aren't cheap. If you can't find someone to put you up (Jamaican or Trini), hotel rooms in Kingston can range from US$140-250 per night. You can check out Knutsford Court Hotel, Jamaica Pegasus, Courtleigh Hotel and Suites, and Spanish Court Hotel in Kingston.

If you plan to get here for the Easter weekend fetes, keep in mind that these do not take place in Kingston and you may have to get accommodation in either Ocho Rios or Portland where basic rooms can cost about US$60-100.

3. You can recycle your costume from Trinidad Carnival.
There is one band for Jamaica Carnival (yes, it's that small) and the costumes are okay and reasonably priced.  But if you want more, you can wear your own costume and simply pay for the t-shirt option (US$240) to get the armband. The prices are all-inclusive and come with drinks, meals, and snacks.  There is also a cool down area and restroom facilities.

Photo credit: Dwayne Watkins

4. The J'ouvert is awesome.
During the season there is Cocoa J'ouvert (March 7) and Beach J'ouvert (on Easter weekend), but on the Friday before the Road March, there are about 3 major J'ouvert events.  The 2 major events are Caesar's Army AM Bush and Bacchanal Jamaica's J'ouvert with my pick being Caesar's Army. Last year, AM Bush only catered to 300 patrons, but I'm sure it will be bigger this year.



Caesar's Army Ambush 2014 Photo Credit: Jamaica Gleaner

5. Machel will be here.
I'm not sure when and where, but Machel will be here; he's always here.  He usually does the Pandemonium fete on the Thursday before Carnival, so he might be here for that. And it's not just Machel, but a lot of local soca artistes and DJs are booked for the season.

Photo credit: Skkan

But even more importantly, Trinis should do Jamaica Carnival simply because nobody loves a Carnival more than a Trini.  Trinis be like: "aye, I hear it have ah Carnival in Space"..."Eh heh? When is dat?"

Picks for Jamaica's Ministry of Fete

The Jamaica Carnival Schedule shows that there are way too many events and it is impossible to attend all especially if you are living paycheck to paycheck.  And if you haven't been saving, unfortunately, there is only one paycheck to carry you through the majority of the carnival season.  So if you don't get comps or an alternative source of income, you may find this post useful when making your fete decisions...

These are my picks for the next couple weeks:
Red
April 4, 2014
$1500 (general) $3000 (vip)*
I'm so over Mas Camp, but if I had to chose one night, it would be Red, which will feature Skinny Fabulous and music by DJ Richie R.A.S. and Nuphoric from Trinidad.  This night will be organized by Island Vibes, the lastest group of Carnival promoters and I have no doubt that they will do an awesome job that night.

Soca vs Dancehall
April 6, 2014
$2500 (early bird) $3000 (presold)
If you were lucky to get the early bird tics for $2500, this is a good deal for a drinks inclusive event.  The selling point for this fete is DJ Private Ryan from Trinidad (yay!).  The theme is Carnival at Night so I am curious if patrons would actually wear costumes.  But the one thing I've learnt is that Jamaican party-goers will stick to a theme.

Beach Jouvert
April 19, 2014
James Bond Beach
$5500

OR

Canboulay Breakfast Party
April 21
Rodney Hall Estate, Portland
$4000
I predict that these will be the top two events on the Easter weekend, but the choice will depend on what you are looking for in a fete.  Beach Jouvert has its loyal followers, especially those who love the paint experience.  You may have noticed that there are very few live performances this season, so the addition of Bunji and Fay Ann is a big selling point here...

On the other hand, Canboulay is for the pretty people in pretty outfits.  Portland will be a nice venue for a breakfast fete but only if you will be staying there for the entire weekend because going to Portland from Kingston in wee hours of the morning is no easy task. I do feel, however, that the Portland weekend of events will also attract those in the over 30 age group who are finished with the Ochi Weekend and Beach Jouvert.

Dusk
April 21, 2014
Beverly Hills
$2500
I enjoyed this fete a lot in 2013, so hopefully I can attend again this year.  The poolside venue is a nice touch and the music will be provided by Dei Musicale from Trinidad and Richie R.A.S (yay! x 2).  The $2500 drinks inclusive cost is also a plus.  This fete is a good choice for those who will be in Kingston for the holiday weekend and looking for a no-fuss event....

I Love Soca
April 23, 2014
Cost: $2000
Venue: TBA
Kudos to Andrew, Ian, and company for owning the Wednesday before Carnival. I Love Soca has become a staple in the last week of Carnival events.  By this time, everyone is pumped and ready for the weekend. This year it will be more than just a cooler fete with performances by Farmer Nappy and Lil Rick...

Pandemonium
April 26, 2014
Cost and Venue: TBA
All I'm going to say here is WE WANT M.O.R.!

Now..it gets sticky on Saturday April 26...A.M.Bush Jouvert ($4500)? or Sunrise Breakfast Party ($6000)? or both? From my biased position as a Trini, I would opt for A.M.Bush because it has a record for being one of the best jouvert fetes in Trinidad (even Jamaicans would admit to this). But then...Sunrise Breakfast was BESS last year, hands down one of the best fetes I've been to in Jamaica. If you have the money then go hard and do both...


*For now, we could work with US$1=JMD$110

T&T Carnival Picks

Most persons arrive for T&T during the week before Carnival Monday and Tuesday. There are so many options which seem to be growing and could become confusing. So far, these are the decisions I've made:

All Inclusive fete

For US$300, I am dying to know what the Ultimate Lime fete (at the Hyatt) will be offering. The reviews from last year were great and for the price, this has to be the best fete ever.

Regular fete

Honestly, you can't beat UWI Splash as a regular fete. You get the same venue and almost all the performers as Bacchanal Wednesday and Trini Posse, just at a lower price.

Carnival Friday pickI'm seriously thinking of doing Break Biche since I've heard good reviews and I'm all for day fetes. It's only TT$400 drinks inclusive, but has the same performers as Sunny Side Up.

Breakfast fete

In my opinion, Vale Breakfast is old news. My pick is Sunny Side Up (tics are available in Ja), but I'm also feeling UP. (I find that the promoters could have been more creative with the name.) But UP has Machel Montano as its headline act so they will pull a good crowd.

J'ouvert band

I am recommending Caesar's Army AM Bush on Saturday morning as an alternative to traditional J'ouvert. Since all j'ouvert bands have to go to POS, the uptown j'ouvert crowd may not like that scene so if you want to try something different, consider AM Bush.

Airline

Now doh start meh on Redjet and dey bull. These people cancelled my flight on Feb 5 and I didn't get an email or a phone call- nutten. No apology- nutten. I am not amused especially since the new date they gave me is later than I want to leave. The lesson is if your dates are not flexible stick with Caribbean Airlines.

Carnival Band

Everybody else will recommend Tribe, Bliss or YUMA, which is fine depending on what you expect from a band. I love the new band scene and since I do not hold any band loyalty, I'm giving K2K a chance this year. Someone described K2K's costumes as Tribe meets MacFarlane which is an ideal description so I'm excited to see the end product. I'm also excited about their Monday wear and make up packages.

Boots

My Carnival kicks boots were extremely comfortable and much cheaper than the piccadilly boots. I am also not feeling the decorating of the boots. It's probably just me, but I'm over the gems and feathers on boots- it's just over done. Carnival kicks will be delivering in T&T and you can also purchase the boots from a dsitributor in St James (868-622-7151).

Stockings

Cant go wrong with the good old Micles stockings. I would like to try the Peavey brand but I'm not sure about my shade. Peavey promises that these tights have a high denier so they are less resistant to runs. We'll see right...

Makeup

I'm not sure if I'm going to opt for K2K's makeup. If not, I'll stick to Makeda from Shades of Sugar. She's done my makeup for 3 years and I'm always satisfied.

I'm officially excited for Carnival! See you there!

A.M Bush

Believe it or not I've never taken part in J'ouvert! I know that it's strange being the Carnival lover that I am, but growing up, my parents never supported the idea because they felt that it was too rough and dangerous for me. And even with the proliferation of inclusive J'ouvert bands that offer security, it still never appealed to me. I love Carnival with every cell in my body but I lack the necessary endurance. There's no way that I can do J'ouvert and then play mas on Monday. What about the paint? How am I going to do makeup on Monday? and most importantly I will just be way too tired. Getting adequate sleep on Carnival Sunday is very important for your stamina on Monday and Tuesday.

This is why I am endorsing Caesar's Army J'ouvert on SATURDAY March 5; not on Sunday morning. It is a very cool idea to have J'ouvert on Saturday even though it contradicts the traditional idea of "the opening" of carnival. They'll just be "opening" a little earlier to accommodate those who really don't like the rush between J'ouvert and Carnival Monday. I am confident that the event will be a success since they have a dedicated following and they have produced many successful events. The theme is also appealing and goes well with the J'ouvert concept. So if you are looking for an a well organized J'ouvert experience with much vibes or just an alternate event, be sure to check it out.