The Carnival Road March, it was originally scheduled for Saturday but last night the Carnival Association announced it had been pushed back to September 29th. But today the association announced another new date for the road march. It is Saturday September 22nd, the day after independence. Carnival Association Chairman Patrick Thompson explained the reason for the wheel and come again.
Patrick Thompson, Carnival Assoc. Chairman
“With the little weather that we were threatened with, the flood and what’s not, some of the bands had called in and requested some more time due to that and we are trying to accommodate everybody in this carnival thing so that is the best day because after the 8th, which would have been the 15th, it’s the expo fair and we have support groups like the marching bands who also called in requesting time and the expo fair is mostly for the business houses and in the carnival we have floats that the business houses will be putting in the carnival so they too had asked for that not to be on the 15th and that is the reason we put it to the 22nd which is the next date.”
Keith Swift,
Do you see this affecting the carnival fever, if you like, because the king and queen was held last week and now there is this delay before the road march?
Patrick Thompson,
“I wouldn’t say that because once you are a carnival person, no matter what, like the famous Calypsonian said, rain can’t stop the reggae jam and nothing will stop it. If you’re in to carnival, you’ll have the carnival spirit no matter what time.”
Thompson says the road march couldn’t be held on September 29th because the Marion Jones Stadium was already booked out. Carnival Mas Camps will be held from Monday September 17th through to Wednesday September 19th. The j’ouvert is scheduled for 4 am on the 22nd and the road march leaves at 1 pm. Twelve bands – 5 junior and 7 senior are participating.
