As Told by Ali

Antigua’s 2024 carnival definitely ended on a high, after waiting for what felt like years for it to get here. I tried to do things differently, by attending a few cultural events as well as the private fetes. Unfortunately, scheduling didn’t always work out. Plus my energy levels from being on the go caused me to miss out on a few. If it’s one thing you should know by now, carnival is pace!

The theme for 2024 was “Ah Love it Here” in memory of Ricardo Drue. As Drue said in his hit song, I definitely found a place I’d call home. It’s on the road for Antigua’s carnival. In this post, I’ll be recapping the unforgettable moments from my carnival season. From the fetes, to my experiences on the road with different mas bands and more.

FETE LINEUP

During the carnival season, there’s a variety of fetes you can expect. These include Breakfast fetes, boat parties, paint and powder, cooler fetes and other themed parties. My plan was to enjoy at least one type of fete this season. However, it didn’t work out that way.

Blue Jeans

Blue Jeans is one of those staple events on your pre-carnival lineup. I also love seeing how creative patrons get with their denim themed outfits. I’ve recently started doing VIP over general and can say I’ve been enjoying it more. However, last year was a little different as the weather had other plans. It was pouring heavily which somewhat turned me off of the vibes given the difficulty in moving around the venue. We still managed to stay until the sun was rising though since we were enjoying the music. From the DJ sets to the performances, I’d say they did a good job. I also stuck to the Disaronno bar where I had Amaretto Sours all night (one of my drinks of choice).

Good Morning D’Inclusive

My first time at this fete, and I’ve always heard good reviews. Upon walking in I was impressed with the layout. There was an area designed in a food park style with ample seating. Plus an entertainment area which was covered and included mist fans. We ate, we danced, we drank, overall it was a good fete and I’ll be back.

Carnival Dreamz

Another first time fete for me. This is also a relatively new event, as this year was its second year. I liked the layout and vibe of the fete. There were different bars and food stations. It wasn’t crowded and people seemed to be having a good time. They also had mist fans which was a good addition to the fans being distributed at the gate. Will return!

De Breakfast Fete

This seems to be a staple event across the board. There hasn’t been a year in recent time that this fete didn’t have a crowd. They switched up a few things this year, in terms of venue layout and stage design. Not sure I was a fan of it. It was also super hot and with the crowds at each station made it difficult to get food/drinks. You definitely get variety at this event, with numerous options to choose from. Also the range in entertainment, from soca to calypso. However, for personal reasons, I don’t think I’ll be returning to this fete.

Disclaimer: the 2024 summer’s heat was on another level. Once I’m hot, my mood changes and all enjoyment goes out the window. Some of the promoters did their best to find ways to alleviate the heat and we appreciated that.

CARNIVAL EVENTS

Queen of Carnival

This was my first time attending a queen show, shocker. I enjoyed the order of events and commended the girls for even being brave enough to enter the pageant. I thought all the segments were really well put together and kept the audience engaged. My favourite was the costume segment followed by talent. I loved seeing the different portrayals being represented in a costume. I wish they kept them on display after the show or throughout the carnival season.

Opening of Carnival Parade

Due to my excitement for this year’s carnival, I attended the opening parade to get a sense of what’s to come. However, I felt the parade very lacking on a whole and not completely organized. I miss the days of standing on the sides of the streets looking at large, pretty floats pass me by. There was a late start to the event and it just seemed sparse in participation from various groups. The steelpan bands were definitely the highlight of the day, as well as RT Performers.

Druesday

I can’t believe this was my first Druesday and also the final staging of this event. I would have missed some of the major performances due to the heavy showers throughout the night. Also, given the circumstances I feel like the general atmosphere of the night was heavy.

Calypso Monarch

Another first for me and an interesting event. We didn’t stay for the full duration of the event but it was interesting to see how the artistes brought their performances to life. The messages in their songs were also powerful and timely.

ON THE ROAD EXPERIENCE

Carnival Monday – J’ouvert

We started things off with J’ouvert, my absolute favourite road experience for many reasons. This year I played with Project Sync Caution under their theme “Nobody go run me”. I’ve played with them quite a few times, and this year I got to work with them by creating a few promotional videos.

Our j’ouvert experience started around 1:30 a.m. where we headed to the meetup spot and were greeted by an option of hot soup and teas. There were also stations for getting prepped with sunscreen and baby oil to protect your skin from what’s to come. I got the sunscreen but skipped on the babyoil which probably wasn’t the smartest idea as later that day it took a lot of scrubbing to get rid of the paint.

I really enjoyed this year. Being on the road for j’ouvert feels so freeing. The DJ’s did their thing with the music and we jammed from Friars Hill road into town and back. There were stops along the route where they had water trucks, more paint/powder, snacks etc. Returning to the meetup spot you greeted with treats like coconut water, energy drinks and a full breakfast (eggs, sausages, bread, salad). J’ouvert is definitely a must for me each year.

Carnival Monday – Parade

After leaving j’ouvert, there’s a quick turnaround time to prepping for the parade on Monday. Your girl got no rest and was running on adrenaline. For Monday Mas I decided to play with Myst Carnival for their infamous “Myst Mondays”.

I haven’t played with Myst since 2018 so I was excited to see how the vibes were. Also, I really liked their theme, Interstellar Monday and tried my best to fit the theme with my outfit. Although I didn’t stay for the entire parade route, I did enjoy the vibes on the road. I had no problems getting drinks from the bars, and enjoyed the music throughout. The jam coming up High Street was probably my favourite moment. Myst Monday may just see me again!

Carnival Tuesday

My second favourite road experience, solely for costume purposes. I was iffy at first between two sections, but ultimately settled on one. However, I am retiring pink costumes after this year! I played with Insane Carnival for parade day in the section Whimsical. This was Insane’s 10th year where they had the theme The Gala.

We started bright and early with a 7:30 a.m. makeup appointment, I don’t know who I thought I was. Once the face was beat, I actually went back home to rest a little and film some other videos. Once it was time to get ready for the road, we actually headed back to get a little makeup touch up then took photos.

Insane Carnival had a few photo props at the meetup spot which was actually cool. The food was okay, nothing to be hyped about. After we ate, we snapped a few more photos then went to meet the band. Luckily they weren’t too far. However, the SUN. Omg, the heat was so much. I don’t think I fully got into it until we were on Market Street. I also would have ditched my feathers by then (stored them on a truck).

At some point in the parade I stood up at the side of the street to see the other sections pass and it was cool seeing all the designs come to life. The theme really came together, plus the vibes were top notch, which made them win Band of the Year once more. I didn’t have any problems getting drinks, we also got snacks on the road, and a meal after the parade. I don’t usually do Last Lap so I only stuck around to cross the stage which is an experience in of itself. I’m hyped to see next year’s theme!

Overall, this carnival season was a good one. Of course, there were a few complaints here or there, but in the end things would have come together. My decision to play with different bands for Monday and Tuesday was a good choice. The bands having that as an option really work out well. Hopefully for 2025, bands start launching earlier so proper planning and budgeting can be done. Carnival is definitely not cheap. Save the dates, July 25th – August 5th 2025 and see you in Antigua for the greatest summer festival!

If you’re thinking of coming, check out my previous planning guide or feel free to ask any questions in the comments.