St. George’s, August 4, 2012 – A new format will be implemented today, Saturday, August 4, when young Grenadian masqueraders and entertainers perform at the Children’s Carnival Frolic (CCF). Among the changes are an earlier starting time for the CCF, and a longer route for the young mas’ players.
The formal opening of the CCF is 11 am at the National Stadium, with the first performance at 11.15 with competition among junior steelbands.
The first steelband on stage will be Digicel Florida All stars.
The St. John-based steel orchestra will be followed by Coyaba New Dimensions, Grand Roy Pan Angels, and then Food Fair Wiz Kids – the junior arm of Suzuki Pan Wizards Steel Orchestra.
The fifth band appearing in the pan championship will be Rainbow City All Stars.
Republic Bank Angel Harps – junior panorama winners of 2011 – will be hoping to successfully defend their title when they perform in the sixth position.
The panorama is one of a series of stadium events organized as part of the children’s carnival.
The street parade, which started in front of the Fish Market on Melville Street in previous years, has been extended for 2012.
This year’s assembly area and starting point is around the Esplanade Mall, with the children dancing their way to the stadium.
Apart from the panorama, the show at the stadium will feature mas’ on stage by individuals and bands, as well as a junior calypso competition.
There will also be a kids’ zone that will include a carnival store, and a place where children can get their faces painted and enjoy the fun of a bouncing castle.
The price of admission to Saturday’s CCF at the National Stadium is $15 for adults and $5 for children.
The CCF marks the beginning to the countdown of Spicemas 2012.
In the following 10 days, the Spicemas Corporation (SMC) – the organizers of annual carnival festival – will stage its major events, ending with the parade of bands on August 14.
On Thursday, August 9, the Carnival Queen Show will be held at the National Stadium, starting 8 pm.
Tickets to the Queen Show are $45 in advance and can be bought at National Lottery offices nationwide.
The SMC has dubbed August 10 as “Bacchanal Friday.’’ That’s when it hosts the Groovy Soca Monarch and LIME Power Soca Monarch competitions at the stadium from 8 pm.
The SMC and the Grenada Steelbands’ Association are bringing more excitement to this year’s panorama on Saturday, August 11.
During the competition among bands, and after panorama, the crowd will be entertained by several top Grenadian and Trinidadian soca artistes.
They will include Kerwin Dubois, Tallpree, Fay Ann Lyons, Bunji Garlin, Lavaman, Shadow, Brother B, and Luni Spark and Electrify.
Tickets to the “Night of Pan and Soca’’ on August 11 are $45 in advance and are available at LIME and National Lottery offices.
Dimanche Gras, which includes the Calypso Monarch final and the King and Queen of the Band competitions, is 7 pm on Sunday, August 12.
Jouvert begins 5 am on Monday, August 13, from Lagoon Road and ends on the Carenage.
The colourful Monday Night Mas’ on August 13 starts 9 pm from the Grand Anse tennis court.
The 2012 Spicemas theme is, “Uniquely Rooted in Our Rich Ancestral Traditions. Shortknee: Legacy of the Chantuelle’’.
The festival main sponsor is communications giant, LIME. SMC’s Chief Executive Officer, Jennifer Woodroffe, says Grenada’s carnival stakeholders are still in need of additional private sector support.
“We hope more will come on board to support the tents, mas’ bands, soca artistes and steelbands. If the carnival stakeholders get private sector support, we all win,’’ Woodroffe said.
The CEO has high expectations for the major shows, including the August 4 Children’s Carnival Frolic.
“We hope the operations will improve and that all shows will run in a timely manner,’’ Woodroffe said.
“We also hope that attendance will be an improvement from last year and that the effort made to have the shows produced will prove to be the best decision going forward.’’