Trinidad’s Fetein’ Summer Start

Trinidad’s “Taste of Carnival 2022”, which saw some carnival activities resume on a smaller scale such a steelpan and calypso shows and some “fete-concerts” with pod usage, has been hailed a success by its government and others for one major factor: no widespread cases of covid taking place at the end of the festivities.

Trust and believe, while there were restrictions on gatherings, the introduction of ‘Safe Zone’ events only for the vaccinated, often proved to feel no real difference to life before covid. As a result of a continued decline in covid cases, and minimal deaths taking place in the weeks after ‘carnival’, many restrictions, particularly on gatherings were lifted on April 4th.

So what’s next? Well, without even missing a beat, and showing that they were just ready and waiting for this moment, many fetes began advertising immediately for April, May and June. The calendar has become so packed with events every weekend, it starkly resembles that in the regular carnival period just after Christmas leading up to Carnival week. Some new events are slated, along with a number of your favourite fete brand events also from the carnival season such as Bacchanal Road, Josie’s Jamishness, Kairi People's Runaway,Tailgate and JAM NKD. Artistes and DJs like Voice, Sekon Sta, Salty and Travis World, along with promoters like Air Committee, Illusions and Scorch are bringing us boat rides, cooler feetes and jouvert parties. Weekenders like Bacchanal Weekend by Yup Life, Zele and Unleash, and Island Crashers are all a go. Listen, if you feel the need to relive your Trinidad fete experiences, there is no need to hesitate. Choose your weekend wisely.

A greenlight has also been given for Trinidad Carnival 2023, so this warm up might do you well to attend. One can anticipate that later in the summer period, band launches will be happening, with even the Ministry of Tourism, Culture and the Arts previously hinting at branding that season as the “Festival of Fetes”. If you think that isn’t enough, an announcement was made that come October 2022, Tobago will host its own separate carnival that may become a permanent fixture. Details around the proposal are yet to be made public, but again, it presents another opportunity for Trinbagonians, West Indians and carnival chasers to return to this ‘Greatest Show on Earth’ that we’ve dearly missed.

Organize yourself from now on, please and thanks. Once covid has no plans up its sleeve, things are going to be crazy festive in T and T from now, straight until Carnival 2023!

Kearn Christopher

IG: @kearnchris

Twitter: @kearn_chris

REKAP OF THE WEEK