RX Invasion – (Nia Golden Photo)
As DiscoverMNI ‘themed’, “There is no denying that 2017 was a challenging year on Montserrat for many reasons, much of which manifested in a smaller annual festival,” which they said was, “due to limited funds for sponsorship, attend events, and troupes participation.”
Calypsonian Maxcine didn’t make the final ten in one of the few festival highlights, but caught our attention with the song ‘Happy Birthday Festival, Happy 55’ with great melody and lyrics. So, the curtains came down on Festival fifty-five after a condensed New Year’s Parade and closing ceremony on Tuesday, January 2, 2018.
But, despite the challenges, and the complaints and the requests for an examination as to ‘festival dead’, with the decline in the number participating troops this year, the parade was described by many onlookers as colorful and lively. Revelers got creative and came out to participate in the final two days of mas. And the crowd responded.
Festival Day, which was on January 1, observing the holiday which fell on a Sunday, brought out many who had not attended any of the previous festival events, to get a first look at the costumes. It is also a prerequisite for troupes and groups who wish to be a part of the Best of Festival competition for a chance at cash prizes which would be on the road the next day.
So it was on Parade Day, January 2, the route adjusted partially due to the smaller number of troupes, began at Government Headquarters at about 2:30PM and wound its way through Carrs Bay towards the Festival Village in Little Bay.
The parade consisted of three schools Brades Nursery, Brades Primary and the St. Augustine Primary School. St. Augustine walked away with the prize for prince and princess of the band while Brades Nursery grabbed the award for most creative troupe for their colourful depiction of crayons.
St. Augustine also copped the prize for Best Children’s troop for their tribute to Caribbean islands affected by hurricanes this year, the troop entitled “Hands Across the Caribbean” featured the children wearing neon reflective construction vests representing their readiness to assist in the reconstruction of the devastated homes and buildings. A new category “Wire Dance Creations” was added to the display
A notable entry was Walking Talk, a stilt-walking group led by Kirk Brade-Kentish. The group of five, which included two women presented African Mythological Creatures. Other fun pieces were Hurricane by Ron Barzey and The Gift by Basil Chambers.
The combined nursery schools were at their colourful best in their troupe Crayons, organised by Lorraine Lewis.
St. Augustine Primary dedicated this year’s group to the people of the Caribbean who were devastated by hurricanes. Hands Across the Caribbean depicted the children in their neon vests and with cardboard tools, as workers preparing to go in and reconstruct houses.
Brades Primary continued their reading focus with their version of the Dr Seuss classic, Cat in the Hat. The children’s faces were painted like the cat, and they all wore hats
There were two t-shirt troupes on the street. The Montserrat Secondary School’s business class project Ink Invasion, were back for the second year with Colour Craze. This year, it was the Splash edition which meant by the time the revellers arrived at the village they were all wet.
Jeweline Roberts Riley offered another t-shirt troupe called MNI Tie Dye. This was made up of both adults and children in colourful tie-dyed shirts. A few donned headpieces with lots of feathers to enhance the look.
There were smaller groups of two and three people such as RX Invasion and the Maniacs. Following the street parade, there were live performances in the park from dance groups and also calypsonians.
Further: Two wire dance creations copped prizes Tyler Lewis walked away with the second-place award for the best individual costume in the children’s section while Cordelia Yearwood took home the prize for best individual adult.
The prize for best individual costume in the children’s section went to Azalia Morton the winner of the 2017 St. Johns Action Club Princess Show. Miss Goosey in a colourful neon orange and green piece took the second place prize in the adult troop section, the Montserrat Secondary School Troop Ink Invasion won the prize for best T. Shirt and the Spirit of Carnival. RX Invasion was named most colourful troupe while Maniacs was named the best adult troop.
Parade Results
Princess of the Band – St Augustine Primary
Prince of the Band – St Augustine Primary
Spirit of Carnival – Ink Invasion
Most Creative – Brades Nursery – Crayons
Most Colorful – RX Invasion
Best Children’s Troupe – St Augustine Primary – Hands Across the Caribbean
Best Nursery Troupe – Combined Nursery – Crayons
Best Adult Troupe – Maniacs – Julisia and Maxine Lee
Best Individual Child – Azalia Morton
2nd Best Individual Child – Tyler Lewis – Wiredance
Best Individual Adult – Cordella Yearwood – Wiredance
2nd place – Miss Goosey
Best T-shirt Troupe – Ink Invasion
Click on Link see photos by DiscoverMNI. https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10155374090805852.1073742061.203080105851&type=1&l=d8f0c50b4a
In Plain Sight (Return to Love Book 2)
By Nerissa Golden
$5.99
Rated 4 out of 5 by 1 reviewers on Amazon.com
