Montserrat will celebrate the 60th anniversary of its first national festival December 17, to January 2, 2023.
Rebranded Montserrat Carnival in 2019, the popular festival is expected to draw many people home for two-weeks of revelry, pageantry, and music.
Celebrations begin with a short parade from Carr’s Bay to the Festival Village. Former calypso monarchs and Miss Montserrat queens are expected to be a part of the parade, alongside the current delegates for Miss Teen Montserrat as well as current monarchs for Miss Montserrat, Calypso, and Soca.
Happening in tandem with the festival is the Salem Reunion. The committee has planned a series of events for past and current residents of the village, which is the second-largest community since the relocation of many due to volcanic eruptions on the island.
“The opening of carnival reflects our 60 years of festival and kickstarts the celebration for 2022 season. All the hard work and preparation comes to life. I am looking forward to the vast number of events planned by the Arts Council, the Salem Reunion Team, and the private promoters. It certainly adds variety and gives us choices of events to attend,” remarked Kenneth Silcott, the director of the Montserrat Arts Council.
Immediately following the opening ceremony on Saturday evening will be the calypso semi-finals. Fifteen calypsonians will compete for nine slots in the Justin “Hero” Cassell Calypso Finals on Thursday, December 29. Hero is Montserrat’s first calypso monarch in 1962 and still holds the record for the most wins at ten.
Other anticipated events on the carnival calendar include the movie premiere of Calypso, Love Nia by young filmmaker Nia Golden on Tuesday, December 20, Nite of Pan on Wednesday, December 21, and the Miss Teen Pageant on Thursday, December 22.
The Regional Queen of Queens Calypso Competition on Friday, December 30 is expected to be phenomenal with both Karene Asche and Terri Lyons from Trinidad & Tobago contending. Asche is the current monarch for the regional competition. Lyons is T&T’s reigning calypso monarch. Top female calypsonians from Anguilla, Antigua & Barbuda, Barbados, the British Virgin Islands, Dominica, St. Kitts & Nevis, and St. Vincent & the Grenadines are expected to compete for the crown.
Revellers will take to the street in costume for the first post-lockdown carnival parade on Monday, January 2, 2023.
Carnival lovers abroad may watch the festivities live and on-demand via MACTV at live.comeseetv.com.
