Antigua and Barbuda’s national festival – Antigua Carnival – got off to a rousing
start before an audience of thousands, as both revelers and organisers seem anxious
to dust off the rust from two years of no carnival because of the COVID-19
pandemic.
The event started on Saturday with a T-shirt mas parade in St John’s which by the
time they arrived at the site for the official launch of Carnival ’23, the revelers
erupted into a frenzy of jumping and jamming led by the on-stage antics of the MC
– Ibis the Livest.
Antigua Carnival was canceled in 2020 and 2021 because of the Covid-19
pandemic and whilst it had returned in 2022, it was a scaled down event with the
absence of many of the popular shows that make up the Carnival Programme line-
up. This year, the Festivals Commission, responsible for planning and executing
the carnival programme, is returning all the shows that patrons have come to
expect, such as the Queen of Carnival, the Teenage Pageant, Junior Carnival, and
Panorama.
Under the theme; Mas, Music and Creativity, the official launch was held at the
Rising Sun Grounds just below the Old Parliament Building. Thousands were in
attendance and the commission did not disappoint, putting on an entertaining show
to the delight of the audiences both at the grounds and those at home watching via
LIVE broadcast.
Minister of Creative Industries, Honorable Daryll Matthew, in his welcome
address recalled that the country had been through difficult times because of the
absence of carnival, due to the pandemic. However, he shared that he is happy that
Carnival is back in all its glory in 2023. “For two years, we could not have
Carnival but we are here now, 2023. We have gone through the most difficult time,
but Carnival is back! We have gone through periods when we miss playing mas,
but Carnival is back! We miss calypso, pan, steel band, soca, the Queen of
Carnival, but Carnival is back! We have gone through periods when we could not
have our Teenage Pageant, but Carnival is back! So I want to use this opportunity
to welcome all of you here to Carnival 2023. I want to use this opportunity to
encourage you to participate in whatever part of Carnival you enjoy. Make this
Carnival the best ever,” he extolled the audience.
During the launch the seven Queen of Carnival delegates were presented to the
audience; their first public appearance since they were sashed last Thursday.
