Thousands of revellers took to the streets of Castries on Monday for the opening day of the parade of bands. Thousands more lined the sidewalks to witness the grand cultural spectacle that is Lucian Carnival.
Of the nine costumed bands that appeared before the judges, two stood out as clear crowd favourites. Xuvo Carnival Band, led by Lamar Sifflet, dazzled with Isle of Angels, drawing 2 300 revellers.
Meanwhile, Just 4 Fun, celebrating 25 years on the road under Veil Tobiere’s leadership, presented 25 Years of MAS. Known for being one of Carnival’s largest bands with over 1 000 participants, Just 4 Fun upped the ante this year with an impressive 2 000 revellers.
Other bands brought their own flair to the festivities. Tribe of Twel stayed true to tradition with Bel Wad ek Soulye, while Xpressions Carnival Band, now in its third year, infused cultural elements into their theme, Folklore. Also parading were Fuzion Mas, Island Tribe Carnival Band, Royalites Xtreme Carnival Band, Phoenix Carnival Band and Legends Carnival Band. Nexus, a new band not on the official Monday lineup, also made an appearance.
According to the Carnival Planning and Management Committee, over 7 000 revellers took part in Monday’s parade, with even bigger crowds expected for Tuesday’s finale.
The soundtrack of the day featured hits like Ezra D’Funmachine’s Miserable, Dezral and Jardel’s Car, Calto’s I Cry, Remote’s Wire Oh, Ricky T and Hollywood HP’s Freakout and Ti Black and Imran Nerdy’s We Di Vibes.
The Band of the Year and Road March winners, along with other awards, will be announced on Wednesday.
