What is Carnival?

Every Columbus Day Weekend Miami, Florida holds their annual Carnival! A time to mash it up on the road and celebrate the beauty of the Caribbean through history, culture and music. The Miami Carnival is one of the biggest Carnival’s outside of the Caribbean and is a celebration for the West Indies as a whole! Take a look at the video below to learn more the history of Miami Carnival.

RELATED: Here Are Some Of The Most Vibrant, Festive Looks Seen During Trinidad Carnival

Carnival has been around for hundreds of years and has been a big significance in political and social anti colonial resistance throughout the Caribbean. In some countries, Carnival occurs before lent but the dates and length vary for others. In Miami, Carnival features these four signature events; Junior Carnival, Panorama, J’ouvert and the big Parade! Of course 2020 has the world was shutdown by the COVID-19 pandemic, as many national events were cancelled, so was Carnival. In 2021, the festivities did come back but with restrictions. This year it seems to back in full effect with a weekend of events for everyone!!

DON’T MISS THE LATEST NEWS! JOIN OUR TEXT CLUB! TEXT ‘KYS’ TO 37890!

Source: Ayodele Cuffy / Ayosubzerophoto

Here’s the breakdown of each of Miami Carnival days;

Panorama (Friday October 7, 2022)

Panorama is a Steel Pan competition. The steel pan aka steel drums are a musical instrument that were created in Trinidad and Tobago in the 1930s. This competition brings out orchestras to showcase the sweet sounds of soca! Click here to get your tickets or Click to stream Panorama live

J’ouvert (Saturday October 8, 2022)

J’ouvert is the unofficial start of Carnival aka the “break day”. Beginning before dawn, revelers dance into daylight with the rising of the sun. Historically,  “Following emancipation, the newly freed slaves took over Canboulay; And that is how we have J’ouvert!” During J’ouvert you will see people caked in mud, oil and other pasty materials, as a celebration of our African roots and the beauty our freedom! Click here to get your tickets

Parade Of Bands & Concert (Sunday October 9, 2022)

Mas Bands (aka Short for Masquerader Bands) are the heart and soul of carnival parades. They are a creation of international designers and local Carnival Producers that form the cornerstone of any Carnival. “Artist Creations in costumes deliver a narrative to the heart and soul of carnival, lending relevance, design and story-telling to the phenomenon, along with music and community engagement. The final product is a work of art in motion, delivered through a human interactive experience.”

Also on Sunday Masquerader get to enjoy performances by; Iwer George (from Trinidad & Tobago), Nadia Batson (from Trinidad & Tobago), Farmer Nappy (from Trinidad & Tobago), Shurwayne Winchester (from Trinidad & Tobago), The A Team Band (from Trinidad & Tobago), Skinny Fabulous (from St Vincent and The Grenadines), Teddyson John (from St Lucia), Nomcebo “Jerusalema” (from South Africa), Menace (from Antigua & Barbuda), Claudette Peters (from Antigua & Barbuda), Julien Believe (from The Bahamas), J. Perry (from Haiti) and many more! Click here to get your tickets

Get Breaking News & Exclusive Contest in Your Inbox:  

While these events are open to all, let’s not forget to pay respect to the Caribbean culture, as we know there is a thin line between appreciation and appropriation. Weather this your 1st or 50th time experiencing this weekend, have fun and create lots of memories because *in my Destra voice* “IT’S CARNIVALLLL”

Also See:

Nicki Minaj Is Looking AMAZING At The Trinidad Carnival [Photos]

Nicki Minaj Apologizes For Kenneth Petty’s Rude Actions At Trinidad Carnival

Dutty Wine! ‘The Real Housewives of Atlanta’ Slayed The Toronto Caribbean Carnival

What is Carnival? This Caribbean Festival Is More Than A Street Party 
was originally published on
kysdc.com