Antigua and Barbuda: Carnival Monday and Tuesday
Antigua and Barbuda Carnival has a logo that symbolizes revelry, music, culture, and the spirit of Antigua and Barbuda. The logo features a Carnival Man dancing on one foot and swaying to the right, wearing a steel pan around his waist, colorful back and headpieces, and carrying the Antigua and Barbudan flag.
Antigua and Barbuda is a Caribbean nation that has a vibrant and colorful culture, history, and nature. Antigua and Barbuda is also a nation that loves to celebrate and have fun, with many festivals and events that take place throughout the year. One of the most popular and spectacular events is the Carnival, which is held every year from the end of July to the first Tuesday in August. The Carnival is a celebration of the emancipation from slavery and the culture of Antigua and Barbuda, featuring music, dance, costumes, beauty pageants, and parades.
What is Carnival Monday and Tuesday?
Carnival Monday and Tuesday are the climax of the Carnival season, when the streets of St. John’s, the capital and largest city of Antigua and Barbuda, are filled with thousands of revelers who join the Parade of Bands. The Parade of Bands is a procession of masqueraders who wear elaborate and colorful costumes that represent different themes, such as historical, cultural, or fantasy. The masqueraders dance and sing along to the rhythms of calypso, soca, steel pan, and zouk music, performed by live bands or DJs. The Parade of Bands is a competition among different groups or troupes who are judged by their creativity, originality, and presentation.
Carnival Monday and Tuesday are also days of entertainment and fun for all ages and tastes, who can enjoy various shows and attractions that take place in the Carnival City, a venue that hosts the major events of the Carnival. Some of these events are:
- The Party Monarch: A competition of soca artists who perform upbeat and energetic songs that make the crowd dance and party.
- The Calypso Monarch: A competition of calypso artists who perform witty and satirical songs that comment on social and political issues.
- The Panorama: A competition of steel bands who perform intricate and harmonious arrangements of calypso or soca songs.
- The Queen of Carnival: A beauty pageant that crowns the most beautiful and talented woman among the contestants who represent different troupes or regions.
- The Caribbean Queen Show: A beauty pageant that crowns the most beautiful and talented woman among the contestants who represent different Caribbean countries.
Antigua and Barbuda Carnival replaced the Old Time Christmas Festival in 1957, with hopes of inspiring tourism in Antigua and Barbuda. Some elements of the Christmas Festival remain in the modern Carnival celebrations
Carnival Monday and Tuesday are days of joy and gratitude, where Antiguans and Barbudans express their love and pride for their country and their culture. Carnival Monday and Tuesday are also days of hospitality and generosity, where Antiguans and Barbudans welcome and share their festivities with visitors from around the world.
