The Prelude to a Carnival Institution: The Roving Years Uncovered

By Petra Williams www.petrathespectator.com

The Original Breakfast – The Prelude

Imagine a college student returning home for the summer, full of energy and excitement about all the entertainment options available during the school year, only to face the reality that, although it’s Carnival season outside of Carnival City events, the Burning Flames jam sessions at the Lion’s Den are the only ones happening.

These idle hands with creative energy began to ‘rove’ to friends’ (colleagues) yard after the Lions jams for breakfast and a chill.  The roving would expand to breakfast spots, down to the public market, and other areas. The session – sit down, get a meal, relax and enjoy themselves, turn up the radio, yes, listen to a radio station.

Sometimes the ‘rove’ would be at a beach, with the key elements: breakfast, music, and good company.  It would be a party until 10:00 a.m. or 11:00 a.m., sometimes extending to midday.  And yes, the party would repeat itself for days in succession.

The most important day in the sessions would be Carnival Sunday, the morning of the Calypso Competition.  Lions had to finish earlier than the previous days because ‘Big Church’ (if you know, you know) started promptly at 6 a.m., and the area had to be cleansed of Benna Music.  Thus, there was a need for some activity to fill that early morning.

The home for the summer college crew decided on an after-Lion’s party: bring a bottle, bring something! At 4 a.m. on Carnival Sunday morning, for a few years, the crew would disperse to gather items and then head to the predetermined house for the after-party, which would continue until it ended. Jan Griffith’s house was a popular location among many others. And somewhere in between, the tagline morphed from Roving to The Breakfast Fete.

According to present-day chief cook and bottle washer, Dr Baba Thwaites, 1991 was the first official Breakfast Fete Party. The first breakfast fete was held at Ryan’s apartment in Fort Road, just across from West Indies Oil, in George Lake’s garage.  The music had progressed from a radio station to a Kenny Nibbs compilation with Ronnie Rascal of Tropics as the DJ. They were late, and Yusef Michael’s car, which was filled with speakers, opened the fete.

Live Entertainment Introduced – Tonic Band

As the session outgrew its original home, it relocated to Potter’s Buff, at Tony Edwards’ place. In 1997, a House Band was added to the entertainment lineup. Dalton Dyer recalls never missing a breakfast fete, and his delight when ‘Baba’ called him to bring the band to perform.  Tonic Band had a hit that year, ‘Way Down’.  The band’s performance that year resulted in a permanent attachment to ‘The Breakfast Fete which endures to the present day. Adding more music, the Dread and the Baldhead would join the session for a few years.

The main dish, the saltfish was prepared by Karen Matthews’ mother. The crew, led by Bobadilla would pull all the other food items together.

Eventually, Tony’s parents became a little hesitant because the neighbourhood had grown tired of the session. It was very noisy in a residential area, so we had to move.

Next stop on the Breakfete locations, Mouse’s Yard until two ‘fetes’ in. The consensus is that “Willie parked his car in the wrong place, on Mouse’s precious, well-maintained lawn, and it was time for yet another home.  The attendance had outgrown that space and needed a more comfortable space.

Mouse recommended By Betty’s, which is Betty’s place up at Dog Farm, owned by the Meyer, who were also part of the party family. With that move came bigger crowds.  There was no official advertising or cover charge at the door.  It was ‘bring a bottle’ while the crew sorted breakfast.  It became a massive crowd, almost out of control and certainly beyond the expectation of the Roving Crew.

Eventually, Quin Farara stepped in and covered the bar, the first introduction of payment.  It was necessary; with growth had come large numbers of people who came empty-handed and with the expectation to drink negatively, impacting the capacity of the bar as originally conceptualised to last until the end of the event.  To offset food cost, a cover charge of $20.00, which was soon raised to $50.00, was introduced.

3-Cylinder and Calypso

By Betty brought more musical ammunition.  Three Cylinder had joined Tonic Band as permanent fixtures of The Breakfast Fete.  Onyan and crew gave a lifetime guarantee that they would always play.  And the crew start to envision the sweet voices of Calypso pitched against Onyan. And the guest artist features began. The first set: Baron and Eddie Mello.

In the words of Dr. Thwaites, “Let me tell you, man, that year was something special because, you know, the three Sweetest Voices in Calypso were there (Onyan, Eddie Mello and Baron). And along with that, because Baron and Swallow were best of friends, Swallow was there.

From that first invitation to today, Baron has made his reservation every year to be there. Even if he doesn’t sing, which he usually does, he wants to be here for Breakfast Fete.

Explainer came two years back-to-back, and did well, he drove the people crazy. Short Shirt also did a few years.

Claudette Emerges

The size of the event necessitated a more structured approach to food preparation and service.  The food chief, Bobadilla, obtained the necessary assistance from Claudette Peters’ Aunt (that is all they told me, so ‘Don’t Vex With Me’).  As a natural appendage, the niece won Soca Monarch, and she would come up by her aunt and end up signing, often barefooted, which became a signature move for The Breakfast Fete.

All the elements above shaped and forged the foundations of the Original Breakfast Fete!! Were you there? What are your memories?  Please share, because the story is just getting started.

See you August 3, 2025, for the Las Vegas Edition of the Original Breakfast Fete!