Source : Loop
St Kitts and Nevis’ 2024 Carnival celebration, Sugar Mas 53, has been launched earlier than usual this year, promising to be the premier event from December 13, 2024, to January 2, 2025.
Speaking at a press briefing on Monday, Samal Mojah Duggins, the Minister responsible for Carnival, expressed that this year’s festivities will surpass all expectations.
He highlighted a groundbreaking partnership between the Ministry of Sports, Creative Economy, and National Carnival with Sussex County Cricket.
“We had just over last weekend, our national carnival would have launched its branding all across the stadiums of Sussex County. Pitch mats, livestream, social media, video ads, catering to somewhere around half a million people… out in the UK. Bringing closer our national carnival product with members of our diaspora in the UK and the entire United Kingdom.”
He stated that this collaboration extends beyond branding, offering developmental opportunities for sports in St Kitts and Nevis.
“The teams from Sussex who will come to St Kitts and Nevis for the pre-and off-season training. Our players and coaches will have a chance to go to Sussex and be a part of their programs as well. And of course, we have our national branding that will take place,” he shared while also mentioning a possible partnership with Bermuda.
Shannon Hawley, Chairperson of the National Carnival Committee, provided further details on the upcoming festivities.
She confirmed the return of beloved Carnival events such as pageants, panorama, Soca monarch, and calypso competitions and will include around 30 private events.
Additionally, Hawley announced: “You will also see the return of the groovy monarch competition.”
Last year, it was omitted from the Soca monarch competition.
Highlighting enhancements for this year, she emphasized an increase in prize money for the panorama competition, underscoring its importance for steel pan music.
She shared that “this is now the third year in a row that we will be increasing the prize money for our panorama as it’s now basically the mark event of our national Carnival.”
Last year, panorama emerged as the flagship event of the National Carnival Sugar Mas.
In 2023, the Carnival attracted approximately 11,000 visitors to St. Kitts and Nevis, illustrating its significant impact on the federation’s economy.
According to Duggins, “National Carnival is one of our federation’s most economically impactful events.”