Carnival set to return, with ‘three days of jamming’ promised, as organizers begin promoting festival in outside markets

The return of “the Caribbean’s greatest summer festival” – Antigua and Barbuda’s Carnival – is confirmed, with plans this year for three days of revelry.

Organisers say the event is poised for a grand re-entry onto the national stage, with Michael Browne, Minister of Creative Industries and Innovation, outlining plans for the full return of the annual festival.

“This Carnival will bring three days of jamming on the streets, with a route that promises excitement, revelry, and creativity,” he says. The schedule of events will include the various competitions and pre-fetes.

Reportedly, the Ministry is now pursuing promotion opportunities in key Caribbean and international markets, including Trinidad, Barbados, Guadeloupe, Jamaica, New York, Atlanta, Miami, Orlando, and the United Kingdom.

Due to the pandemic, the usual participants – calypsonians, soca artistes, pan players and mas’ builders – had been forced to put everything on hold for the last two years.

Now, with many public-health restrictions being dropped and a slate packed with activities for the summer, the Cabinet is encouraging all residents to be vaccinated against COVID-19.

“It is expected that, in the coming weeks, the country will see fluctuations in the number of cases; and so the Cabinet continues to emphasize the importance of personal responsibility in the fight against the disease,” Cabinet Notes say.