As Told by Ali

Whew. Carnival definitely came home this year. The vibes were immaculate and despite some general complaints going into the season, it was a very enjoyable time. Antigua’s carnival is like no other, and really shouldn’t be compared to any other island. However, it has so much potential of fulfilling its title as ‘the Greatest Summer Festival‘. Thirteen days (official carnival timeline) of cultural events and lots of fetes, this season was one for the books. In this review I will be sharing my reviews of the fetes I attended as well as my T-Shirt mas experience on the road with Barefoot promotions.

I feel like I did a lot this season, especially “coming out” of Covid. We’re also going to start the review from June, so it’s more like a Summer event recap. Disclaimer: these are solely my reviews. Please note majority, if not all, of the fetes had early bird prices, however, I’m listing the general price.

JUNE

Sunny Side Up (SSU)

Sunday 4th June
10:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.
XCD $175 (food inclusive), XCD $75 (group prices also available)

This is usually my summer starter and they rebranded into a cooler fete this year and also switched locations and event times. I would say it was a good move as you didn’t have your usual “fight” for drinks at a bar or having to pay a lot of money just to party. The choice of venue is a space that has been frequently used as of recent, but the setup and decor definitely made the difference. I loved the colours used, the backdrop design and overall decor throughout the fete. I should also mention that this is normally one of the smaller more intimate fetes, and I’m happy it didn’t lose that feeling. I enjoyed my time here (except for the heat) as well as the DJ sets. I believe this was my first time hearing ‘Come Home’ in a fete and it got me excited for what’s to come this season.

Rating: 5/5
Would I return?: Yes

Sun’s Out, Bun’s Out (SOBO)

Sunday 18th June
10:00 a.m. – 7:00 p.m.
XCD $250 (regular), XCD $400 (VIP)

I’ve been to this fete once before and given the “hype” behind it this year and them also celebrating their 5th year, I decided to give it another try. Unfortunately, it was a total let down and this was my worst experience this season. Logistically there were many issues with the fete, a main one being location and venue layout. I am also of the opinion that if you’re having an All-Inclusive fete, it doesn’t matter what time I arrive I should be able to get something to eat. Note, I didn’t say all of your options should be available. The bar also sank, there was too much people and the list could go on. The saving grace was really the theme of the party. Everyone came out in their best to look cute and living on an island you just have an appreciation for beach parties. My only plus was the snow cones!

Rating: 1/5
Would I return?: No

JULY

Blue Jeans

Saturday 8th July
10:00 p.m.
XCD $200 (regular), XCD $300 (VIP)

A staple to my summer lineup. The patrons really did their thing this year going all out with their denim inspired fits and it’s something I love to see. I did the VIP section again and I was a bit disappointed given the experience the previous year. It was twice as many people which resulted in difficulties manoeuvring through the crowd and also lengthy bathroom lines. The food also didn’t seem on the same standard as what I’m accustomed too, but I’m also quite picky when it comes to food options. A part from those two issues, I really enjoyed myself. The performances were full of energy and had my attention at the front of the stage. We also stayed until the sun was rising so that says a lot.

Rating: 4/5
Would I return?: Yes

Drunch

Saturday 15th July
11:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.

Not sure I need to review this given it’s a private party, but the vibes were good although it took awhile to get there. I also think the larger venue added to that. Major plus, I discovered a new fave drink here, pink gin and tonic!

Red Eye

Saturday 15th July
9:00 p.m.
XCD $100 (regular), XCD $400 (VIP)

Two fetes in one day? Who am I? I haven’t been to this fete since 2011 and I was so happy I got to experience it, including seeing Kes the Band live in action! The VIP setup was cute, there was on stage access as well as front of the stage access; different specialty bars and food areas. Majority of my time was spent in front of the stage waiting on Kes. Motto would have gave a really a good performance as well. My disappointments were the food was cold and there weren’t enough cocktail tables or seating. The bread and cheese at the end came in clutch and also meeting Kes in the parking lot for a quick snap.

Rating: 4.5/5
Would I return?: Yes

Footprints

Sunday 23rd July
3:00 p.m. – 10:00 p.m.
XCD $175, drinks inclusive

The people’s fave fete of the season, but for personal reasons I didn’t really enjoy it. What I would say, there was a good variety of music played and not only soca or dancehall. We also heard hits from previous years so the DJs did a good job balancing that. The added touch of the specialty/cocktail bars was also nice to see. I enjoy the love amaretto has been getting recently, so I mainly frequented that bar for an Amaretto Sour.

Would I return?: Probably not

M[Ocean]

Sunday 30th July
11:00 a.m. – 5:30 p.m.
XCD $225, all-inclusive

Any reason to get on a boat and i’m there! I wish the weather was better when we anchored out at Cades Bay but the vibes definitely made up for everything else. This time around I actually made it into the water with a life jacket and floaty, so yay! I really enjoyed myself on this cruise and the company of the people I was with. My only suggestion is for Wadadli Cats (the boat operators) to think about changing their menu.

Rating: 4/5
Would I return?: Yes

AUGUST

RISE

Saturday 5th August
12:00 a.m. – 8:00 a.m.
XCD $200, drinks inclusive

Rise is a paint, water and soca fete. I love the concept of it, so it was added to my 2023 lineup. This is my third time attending this fete and I can’t say yet if I enjoy it just as much as J’ouvert. One of the selling points for me was that strictly soca would be playing, however I was a bit disappointed in the selection of songs. Another bigger issue was the bar situation, either there were too many people or they needed more workers, either way getting drinks was a hassle! Let’s just say there were good parts and not so good parts, but not enough to say I definitely won’t be returning.

Rating: 3/5
Would I return?: Most likely

De Breakfast Fete

Sunday 6th August
4:00 a.m.
XCD $400, all-inclusive

After having FOMO last year I added this event to my roster. This is one of the largest fetes held during the carnival weekend and is super all-inclusive. I loved how the decor fit the theme and the variety of specialty bars and shaded areas. Once again, I feel like the food fell short. There were different food vendors present but I’m not sure if the quantities of food being prepared led to the lack of taste. Also note I didn’t visit every stall present but from the ones I did, it left a lot to be desired. Besides the food, the entertainment had a good lineup of artist performing. The afternoon segment got hype with Farmer Nappy’s performance onward.

Rating: 3.5/5
Would I return?: Probably

In some instances I feel like the entertainment saved a lot of these fetes based on my ratings. However, there were also times I was not pleased with the music. There seems to be an ongoing argument about the quality of our local soca and also only playing what DJs believe would garner a crowd reaction. Personally, I also feel like majority of the fetes are becoming the same and there’s barely anything setting them a part or any wow factor encouraging attendance. Same music, same issues, same menu; it’s really up to the patron to bring their own vibe. Nonetheless, I enjoyed myself as much as I could and my intention for next year is to experience another island’s carnival or two. As Told by Ali goes regional!

Road Warm Up!

T-Shirt Mas

Saturday 29th July
1:00 p.m.
Band: Barefoot Promotions
XCD $270 / $300 | XCD $350 (VIP)
Drink Inclusive, Snacks, Meal, T-shirt/Bodysuit Package

First time on the road again since 2019 and I decided to give Barefoot Promotions another try for T-Shirt mas. I was also super late on purchasing my package as it was still an iffy decision. Everyone was excited about it, but I just knew in my heart I would be okay with missing out. Nonetheless, I purchased a T-shirt package and wore my own swimsuit on the road. The heat was out of this world but there’s only so much one can do to adapt. I had a portable fan which died somewhere along the route and I also wore a visor cap and kept hydrated throughout.

• Timing: the meet up was set for 1 p.m. but we didn’t actually leave until sometime around 3 p.m. Not sure what the hold up was but I didn’t hear an announcement while I was there and it seemed like they were still packing the drinks truck. This caused us to move quickly in order to meet the parade. Somewhere along the route we slowed down yet again and never actually made it into town until nightfall.
• Entertainment: For the most part it was alright. I’ve come to accept that DJs will just replay songs and only the popular ones. I’m still questioning that entire Pop segment.
• Meal/Snacks: Missed the meal before the road and apparently there were snacks on the road but I never saw any. Ended up purchasing a burger when we eventually got to town from a vendor. Afterwards, I believe it was a choice between seasoned rice or pasta. I went with the former as well as a sandwich. Unfortunately neither of them tasted good.
• Drinks/Bars: Looking back on my 2019 review I realized this was an issue as well and crazy they haven’t fixed it, especially when the numbers increased. How do you expect to have such a small bar?? The bar also ran out of drinks, water and ice at different points along the route.
• Restrooms: Shoutout to Island Sanitation. The a/c bathroom was a good touch and it was clean the times I went.

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, T-Shirt is my least favourite road experience and this year cemented that fact. If I do this again, it’s at the will of my friends and also a different band.

Rating: 2/5
Would I return?: No

This brings us to the end of my reviews, I also started a series on TikTok giving these verbally after every fete and I liked hearing other’s perspectives. Feel free to leave your thoughts below! I fell short again this year by not attending any of the cultural carnival events, but I’ll be more intentional next year. P.S. Everyone is going to have a different experience and that’s the joy in things, but also don’t always believe the hype and do things based on FOMO.

Stay Tuned for my Antigua Carnival on the road experience! I will be giving a review on my J’ouvert experience with Project Sync’s Caution and mas with Insane Carnival.