The carnival road march is easily one of the most anticipated events on the September Celebrations calendar and so, you can mark your calendars tonight because it will be held on Saturday September 8th. The announcement was made this morning at the official launch of the 2007 Carnival season. With preparations well underway for most bands, this morning's launch was an opportunity for the Carnival Association to debuts its new look, theme song, and logo.
Keith Swift Reporting,
Carnival organizers expect more than one thousand carnival masqueraders and revelers will take over the streets of the city on Saturday September 12th.. A record 7 senior and 5 junior carnival bands have signed up for this year's carnival road march.
Keith Swift,
What can we expect from Carnival this year?
Valerie Woods, Marketing Rep - Carnival Assoc.
"More groups Keith. Last year if you recall, Carnival in Belize only had five. This year under the theme being, our Association saying we want to get bigger, better, and more organized - we have twelve competing groups, six business floats, one non-competing group in Belize, as well as possibly another one from Nicaragua."
Keith Swift,
Will bigger be better?
Valerie Woods,
"It should be better."
And to show just how much bigger and better 2007 will be, this morning the carnival calendar was launched in grand style with a live performance of a new theme song at the House of Culture - which even had the Carnival Association members dancing. It's called "jump fi carnival." And it was composed and performed by Kenny G of Kenny G. and the New Creations.
Kenny G.,
"Keith its own thing. You feel the flavor it has, it is our thing. It has a catch, it is talking about Belize and I think yes, they will jump to it."
And along with a new theme song there is also a new logo, all indicative of an all around new direction for the Carnival Association. Valerie Woods is the association's marketing officer. She says that along with being bigger and better - the carnival will be safer - and more cultural.
Valerie Woods,
"To get it bigger and better for Belize means that we want to make carnival have an identity within Belize. We are not saying we don't want to hear the other songs, we are part of the Caribbean Community but we want to have a Belizean owned, Belizean made, Belizean theme for carnival that the groups, the media, can use in promoting carnival. When you listen to it, you will be hearing Yabra in there, Albert Street, Regent Street; things that are known and common to us Belize, bringing back home. Carnival is part of our culture.
We are laying the foundation here for future carnival in Belize and so we want to get used to the idea of things like official rum, official airline, the official energy drink. So this year for example American Airlines has contributed a roundtrip ticket for the first prize king and first prize queen of the senior category for kind and queen. Better in terms of safety and planning. There will be no issues, we are trying hard that there will be no repeat of what occurred at the King and Queen Competition last year. We are working with the Police Department, City Council, and other security personnel to make sure it goes off as smoothly as possible. Crowd control, moving off on time, and making sure rules and regulations are adhered to."
At the launch we spoke to the bandleaders of 4 groups. And from Jump Street to the Hattieville Hot Peppas - all say the changes to the association are positive but all complain about a chronic lack of sponsors.
Marina Wellcome, Jump Street Posse
"Jump Street is always ready. The only problem we keep having is with sponsors. No money noh deh and I also need some revelers. I need some revelers for the junior band and the senior band, not too much for the junior but for the senior band because Jump Street Posse's senior band will be coming out with a band."
Keith Swift,
What are you going to do about the lack of funds?
Marina Wellcome,
"Well I am on the block every Saturday selling food and a little comes in here and there but we will be reedy."
Keith Swift,
Will the Hot Peppas be ready?
Sadie Martinez, Hattieville Hot Peppas
"Well Keith we will be ready but right now for me it is very difficult for me at this present moment because we sent out letters to different business people and at this time we are hardly getting any sponsors. But I think it will be fun for us out there so I am also appealing to the people in my community to come out and get registered and let us get on the road march."
Miss Pinkie,
"I am Miss Pinkie from Southside Masqueraders Carnival Band. Right now I am trying on my own, we don't have any sponsors yet but I am still pushing."
Keith Swift,
Will Mother Nature's Creation be ready?
Carla Flowers, Mother Nature's Creation
"Yes, yes. Everything is kind of ready right now but right now we need a little more sponsorship and so we are looking forward to that."
Keith Swift,
How much work is it to prepare a carnival band for the road march?
Carla Flowers,
"Hmm, a lot of work. It is only like five or six of us working and we are preparing for a 120 people."
Keith Swift,
It's expensive?
Carla Flowers,
"Very, very, very expensive."
Keith Swift,
But you still do it.
Carla Flowers,
"Still do it."
Keith Swift,
Why?
Carla Flowers,
"Because I love it."
And it's that love which these organizers hope will mobilize those 1,000 revelers come carnival day.
Again, the road march will be held on September 8th but before that, the king and queen competition will be held on Saturday September first. The participating senior bands are Jam Jam, Hot Peppas, Khoatic Masqueraders, Mother Nature's Creation, Southside Masqueraders and Jump Street Posse. The five junior bands are Mahogany Masqueraders, Jump Street Posse, Black Pearl, and the Hot and Spicy Masqueraders.
As mentioned in the story, most groups are still looking for sponsors as well as revelers. You can contact the bands at their respective mas camps.
