Soca superstar Machel Montano will be the main attraction at one of the biggest fetes for Lucian Carnival, Color Me Red (CMR).
Over the years, the event has received top billing during Lucian carnival, with carefully curated themes and talked-about experiences, long after the event is over.
This year’s plans were unveiled at a media launch at M Motors on Wednesday.
With CMR celebrating 20 years this year, Thaddeus Antoine, co-founder and director of Red Carnival, the organisation behind the event, says the intention was to go big again this year by bringing back Machel, who had a five-year run with the event from 2011 to 2015.
CMR will be held on Carnival Friday, July 17, at the Beausejour Grounds in Gros Islet and is the only live concert/fete for the season. Over the years it has attracted some of the biggest names in soca from across the region and has also provided a platform for local artistes.
Antoine promised to address some of the areas where organisers may have fallen short last year, such as in catering for VIP patrons.
“We have seen what some of the other events are doing, we have learnt and this year the plan is to have several food stations and caterers,” he said.
“However, the experience will not just be in the VIP area but also the general area will be included, where we will provide branded glasses so everyone shares in the experience we are trying to create.”
The theme for CMR 2026 is Encore, based on Machel’s 2026 hit. In the coming weeks, other names will be announced for the event, with Bank of Saint Lucia already confirmed as the platinum sponsor.
