Mid-year Mas in PointBy VERDEL BISHOP Friday, May 2 2008
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Point Fortin Borough Day celebrations ...
THIS COUNTRY is known for having one Carnival, known as the Greatest Show on Earth, which takes place early in the year. However, the world will see this country’s second Carnival when Point Fortin Borough Day celebrations climax this weekend.
Point Fortin will be transformed into a Carnival city as the district celebrates its 28th year as a Borough.
The celebrations have become one of the most anticipated events on the national calendar but this year’s edition is taking on some new dimensions.
Old friends will meet tonight at various hot spots throughout the Borough, as “We Meet”, the largest community reunion which encourages people who have left the borough to reside elsewhere, to journey to the south land to reunite with neighbours and old friends. This event is expected to attract throngs of ex-southerners as no true Trini would resist a good lime with good friends.
There will also be a major concert by the Police Service Band at the Victor Chin Kit Park from 5pm.
Jouvert begins at 4 am tomorrow. Thousands of revellers and spectators will experience the best in Jouvert celebrations featuring many of the bands from this year’s Carnival, including Chocolate City, an innovative band that incorporates edible chocolate in its revelry, and boasts of 12,00 revellers. Another band featured in the celebrations will be the Against Crime Unit (ACU), which will incorporate conventional sailor mas with a modern touch. The all inclusive band consists of 600 revellers.
Jouvert ends at 11 am to make way for traditional and contemporary mas from 12 noon.
Apart from mas, the estimated 40,000 patrons expected to journey to the Borough will be treated to Pan-on-the-move, with 15 top conventional bands facing off in a Bomb competition in front of Atlantic LNG Community Office and a “Tribute to Maestro” competition at Market Square. For the latter competition, bands will perform Maestro’s classics with the winners taking away $20,000. The competition kicks off at 5pm.
On Sunday, families can enjoy a dragon boat race, where corporate teams will compete against each other at Clifton Hill Beach.
Music lovers can enjoy the Single Pan Fiesta, featuring the top single bands from throughout the country, at Clifton Hill Beach from 1pm.
La Brea, Point Fortin’s sister community, will not be left out of the celebrations, as there will be a Lake Asphalt Bedrock All Inclusive Fete, at Lake Asphalt from 7 pm.
Every year the Borough Day celebrations have proven to be both educational and entertaining.
This year, the theme is “Educate, Energise and Evolve”. According to the Mayor of Point Fortin, Alderman Victor Mitchell: “There has never been a more suited title as the three words surmise what we are as a borough in a nutshell.”
