-Guyana Carnival brings exuberance, extravagance

IT may be a new concept for Guyana, but the response is certainly massive. Ten whole days of unadulterated fun, carnival style!

At first glance at a poster that says ‘Guyana Carnival’, a Guyanese who is unfamiliar with such an event would ponder what to expect, especially since Trinidad and Tobago and other Caribbean islands have set the tone for such festivals.

Some persons said introducing the festival to the little resource-rich country located on the coast of South America was the best idea since “slice bread”.
Although a lot of persons were unaware of what to expect, Soca Sensation, the big ‘Destra’ out of ‘Trinbago’ and Dancehall Queen ‘Spice’ electrified the stage at the National Park for the inaugural event, ‘Destraction’.
Their performances were captivating and in line with what persons should expect from a carnival.

‘Destraction’
Destra, decked in a bedazzled sliver-grey dress and Spice, in her all-white jumpsuit were both enough to attract the attention of the crowd but it was the ‘wining’ and ‘jamming’ that kept the vibe right throughout the night.

If that wasn’t enough to satisfy the insatiable appetite of the ‘Soca junkies’, the performance of Guyanese songstress, Big Red added flavour to the spice that was already there.

The night was dominated by the females but the male artistes didn’t fail to deliver. Voice, Teddyson John, Iwer George and Kwasi Ace added the steam to the spice and flavour.
Ryan Benn, an American said the performances were unlike any other. Benn said he travelled from the US just to be part of the inaugural carnival and based on the first event, he believes that Guyana is well underway to becoming a hub for entertainment and ‘fete-ing’.

The locals were also excited to be part of the inaugural activity which set the stage for a ‘mind-blowing’ carnival.

The wild seas
It was evident that they were ready to ‘float’ when the carnival took to the sea. ‘Bright Colours’ at the Marriot Hotel Pier and the All White Boat Ride were events that had persons wobbling and shaking not because of the tides but because of the intoxicating music that was played by top DJs.

Immediately after those events, the ‘fete-ers’ didn’t go far from the sea but instead right at the Marriot beach front where the sounds of the waves and birds were covered by the raving Soca junkies who danced the night away to melodious tunes.
Up, up and away

The partygoers finally hit land on May 21 when they went a few storeys up to the Gravity Lounge. DJ Energy and friends were ready to entertain the crowd who “took the roof” off of the building with their dancing. There was no shortage of beers, rum and ‘cutters’ at the fete.
Gravity came alive around midnight when hundreds were battling the guards to get into the building to enjoy what they were hearing from downstairs. Persons came through the elevator flouncing and bouncing to good music that evidently bit them.

Bare Skinz

After a hot, sweaty dose of fun it was time to cool down at “Bare Skinz” at the Tower Poolside. If the music, water and foam weren’t enough for everyone, the ladies in their two-piece and men in their short pants and tank tops should have been enough to stimulate the interest of both genders.

TUESDAY ON THE ROCKS
For those who preferred a drier and spacious atmosphere, Kes and the Band was just a stone’s throw away from the Tower Hotel, at the Marriot Hotel parking lot.
“Hello” was the greeting at the event, not from the security at the gate but from Kees Dieffenthaller, the lead singer of the band.

One of his biggest hits and presumably one of the biggest Soca hits of the year, “Hello” was performed by Kees at Tuesday on the Rocks.
The crowd couldn’t hold back their feet and body when the music hit their ears. Although there were other performances, Kees stole the stage and had everyone chanting, waving and jumping to some of his biggest hits.

During an interview with the Department of Public Information (DPI), Kees said Guyana is a beautiful place with beautiful people.
“Everyone was warm and welcoming…I felt a connection; I would do anything I can to let the world and region know about Guyana,” said Kees.
He believes that Guyana Carnival is just the beginning of a process that will put Guyana and its artistes on the map.

According to the organisers, Guyana Carnival is a privately owned festival which will take place from May 18 – 27.
“It’s an amalgamation of influential entertainment bodies, the Government of Guyana and other key stakeholders to create a new exciting product to boost tourism, entertainment, and nightlife in our emerging city,” the official website read.

This idea was birthed out of Guyana’s 50th Independence celebration when the country recorded thousands of arrivals of visitors to Guyana. The Minister of Tourism at that time, the Honorable Cathy Hughes’ had said that Guyana should capitalise on celebrating this event on a grand scale annually. With this call to action serving as the catalyst, the committee saw it fit to formulate a grand event to satisfy the demand of the masses

Carnival Guyana Carnival has so far and will continue to provide a major economic boost to several industries, with taxi drivers to hairdressers, clothing stores to hotels and airlines to restaurants will see an increase in business. It will also bring about much-needed exposure to our local musicians and DJs.