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What’s the background?
Once again Carnival has been and gone. It’s something really special that you can’t see anywhere else in the world on the scale and with the passion that it is celebrated here. As far as the Tuesday street parade went, this year was the best we have seen in the three years we have watched it. It was much better coordinated, had a more continuous flow, and was conducted in an excellent spirit. In spite of the criticism that seems to characterise the Trini scene, it was a really good effort in an age when greater numbers of people only think about themselves and have difficulty coming together with others to do something really spectacular. A huge event like this requires a major effort by many people.
What were some highlights for us?
This year the things that really impressed us in the street parade were:
- Brian McFarlane’s costuming and theming for his ‘Resurrection of the Mas’ band. Like last year, a great deal of thought, effort, planning and hard work went into creating something that offered something new and innovative. The costumes were absolutely stunning.
- Being able to enjoy the sounds of ‘Exodus’ with the pan players on the back of two large truck and semi-trailer units that drove side by side down Tragrete Road.
- Seeing the colourful seniors from Belmont once again in their sailor uniforms adorned with unusual and colourful headwear.
- Just watching people enjoy themselves - both locals and visitors from overseas.
- Watching old and young mix together and have fun and generational barriers disappear (temporarily).
But what happens now?
And this is really the thing we should be thinking about a lot more. There is so much talent and effort put into this huge event which impacts big time here in T&T but not nearly enough elsewhere in the world. As Brian MacFarlane indicated, it needs to become a 12 months of the year thing, not just a one-off event each year. There are careers that can be built around Carnival and all the aspects associated with it. These careers are potentially not only in T&T but also internationally.
Why international?
Because there are close to 500 Carnivals run in different cities around the world each year and the market size they represent is probably close to 500 times the 1.3 million people who live here in T&T. That’s a huge potential market!! There are a few enterprising T&T Carnival stakeholders who have established some degree of international presence. These include at least one mas band plus several of the steel pan bands which do regular international tours. Some individuals have also been involved in various ways with overseas Carnivals.
What does Carnival offer T&T?
It offers the basis for a global business that, according to a group of smart T&T people who studied the potential opportunities offshore, could generate substantial revenues and create exciting, stimulating and rewarding employment opportunities for 12 months of the year.
Useful Link:Carnival Cities (100 examples)
Key Question: How can we generate greater global revenues from T&T’s fantastic Carnival capabilities and creative talent?
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