Won’t stop the Carnival
In 2009 the carnival celebrations are expected to be as spectacular as in past years despite the downturn in the economy. As one band leader put it: “nuttin go stop ah Trini, when it comes to carnival”.
Carnival bands are however a year round business with designers starting to work as early as the month after the national celebrations. These designs must be ready for presentation to prospective buyers no later than the following October. This is merely an eight-month period, but the designers are always up to the challenge to create something outstanding.
The bands are carefully organized with music trucks, security, rest trucks, photographers and spotters to keep an eye on things. Some are equipped with medical units, usually housed in the rest trucks. There are catering facilities with a full rolling bar and sandwiches and even a ‘wee wee’ truck for the disposal of bodily waste.
Recently, there was a discussion regarding armed security, since the rising crime figures present an ever increasing danger. However firearms and alcohol are a toxic mixture and in most people’s view should be avoided. Most bands rent heavy equipment like trucks and large generators for the carnival days. The lease agreement of the rental of the trucks is a package and includes a driver, a spotter and on some occasions a mechanic on call.
TNTINSIDER understands that these complete units could cost between $8,000 to $10,000 daily. It should be remembered that most bands usually arrange contracts which could run for as much as five years.
In these cases it is possible to negotiate better prices for the entire season, which starts when the designers present their creations in October and ends with a massive party held on beaches across the country.
Carnival costumes are big business and can cost as little as $3,000 to as much $8,000 while the more elaborate and fiercely contested king and queen costumes, which can best be described as a portrayal based on themes ranging from the designers imagination to historical subjects, could have on completion a span of 40 feet and a height of 20 feet and cost close to over $100,000 .
An emerging aspect of carnival is Chutney, East Indian music. Chutney shows rival soca with drumming, dancing and singing, Costs which include security, prizes, costumes, musicians fees, stage production and crews, marketing, television rights and promotion are estimated at a little over one million dollars.
Some band committees and promoters have sponsors but the majority of those organisations use other means to assist with their expenses. One such method is the promotion of a fete. Committee members will coordinate with musicians, police, caterers and the owners of various venues along with other competitor committees to ensure the choice of date and venue are adequate as well as attractive to patrons.
Then the media: television, radio, the newspapers, the internet and hand-outs are employed to get the word out. Tickets are sold by the committee’s members or at the headquarters of their various mas’ camps and at business outlets, who work on a commission basis, all over the country. At some radio stations callers could obtain free tickets often by answering some silly question pertaining to the party. These costs are mostly offset by sponsored advertising.
Carnival, despite its drawbacks, is clearly good for the country’s economy, employing thousands on a demand basis as well as full time from designers, craftsmen, seamstresses and so on whose talents are put to the test year after year when they face a panel of judges who award points for originality and the portrayal of their presentations.