No Opening Parade for Carnival

There will be no official opening parade for Carnival this year.

This is according to Sub-Committee Chair of Mas and Parades Marcelle Freeland.

She explained that while there will be no opening parade but during the LIAT T-shirt Mas on July 26, specific elements will be on display alongside the bands.

“Before we continue, because there’s no opening parade, there is a cultural component that will be a part of this parade that will lead off, but this parade will leave from Old House of Culture and then do the route coming down Queen Elizabeth. So, in that assembled of cultural components, we will have the stilt walkers, the Mako Jumbies, John Bulls, Steel Band, Iron Band and other characters and we’re hoping to pay tribute to Claudette, Burning Flames and we’re hoping Hell’s Gate will be on hand because it’s their 80th year.

“So, all that is a part of the cultural parade and one, a couple of the business places will have their floats as well, “Freeland explained.

Seventeen troops have registered for T-shirt Mas this year.

Freeland is urging the bands to be punctual not only for T-Shirt Mas but for all the other parades as well.

It is scheduled for 3pm-9pm and will follow a specific route through the city.

“The assemble point is at Old Parham Road by T.N. Kirnon and the route will take us up to Simon Bolivard. We make the right onto Factory Road, left onto Parliament Drive, right onto Queen Elizabeth Highway, right onto Independence Drive, left onto Redcliffe Street, right onto Thames Street, right onto High Street, left onto Independence Avenue, right into back onto Old Parham Road,” Freeland said.

The judging points for T-shirt Mas are “Factory Road by the old Brother Bee gas station, that’s one, by the cultural office on Redcliffe Street and the other will be at the top of High Street”.