What with Cayman Pride last weekend and CayMAS hitting the streets this Saturday, 7 Aug., it seems that colourful parades are very much in season right now.
Unable earlier in the year to celebrate in the style to which revellers have become accustomed due to pandemic regulations, organisers decided to wait until the mas bands were allowed to take to de road, albeit with caveats in place. For example, all parade participants must be fully vaccinated against COVID by the Health Services Authority, and interaction with spectators is strictly prohibited.
In order to accommodate everyone who wanted to avail themselves of the festivities, one of the directors of CayMAS, Craig ‘Festa’ Frederick, said they had to find a way to make it work with the cap of 1,000 people allowed to parade at once.
“We have separated it into two groups,” Frederick said. “There will be about 750 people per group, with the first section departing from Paradise Bar & Grill at 12:30pm and the second section departing from Eden Rock at least 10 minutes later.”
He also emphasised other differences between this year’s carnival and the ones in the past, making it clear that all who have registered need to be at the starting point – they cannot just join in from other locations along the route.
“We have to have everyone there at the beginning,” he said, adding that this was one of the stipulations of CayMAS being authorised to go ahead.
Although there have been a number of pre-carnival events on the calendar, such as the ‘Soca at Dawn’ breakfast fete in June and ‘Bacchanal Time Again’ at Cayman Cabana in July, the main focus is on this weekend with the parade on Saturday in the afternoon, the Soca Monarch competition and AfterMas Foam Fete on Saturday night, and the ‘Tied Up’ boat party at Starfish Point on Sunday.
So, now the costumes are ready, the make-up has been applied and the flatbed trucks laden with speakers are revving their engines, here’s the skinny on what CayMAS has in store.
Saturday, 7 August
12:30pm
CayMAS Parade
All the mas bands will be gathering in George Town, ready to start dancing north at approximately 12:30pm. Group A will meet at Paradise, with Group B at Eden Rock. Group A will set off first, with a 10-minute distance gap before Group B starts moving.
The route takes them along Seafarers Way, North Church Street, and then onto West Bay Road past hotels, bars and restaurants until they reach Seven Mile Public Beach. In past years, the party would simply continue there on-site, but this time the two parade groups will disperse upon reaching there (again, in order to follow government regulations).
They can meet up again at Coral Beach for the Soca Monarch/AfterMas event, for which tickets can be purchased online at www.eventpro.ky, up to a maximum of 1,000 attendees.
Anyone wishing to see the parade in the afternoon can line the route to watch and cheer them on. As usual, road closures will be staggered as the mas bands advance towards their destination, with police blocking off sections of the route at a time.
6pm
Soca Monarch competition @ Coral Beach
Gates open at Coral Beach at 6pm for the Soca Monarch competition at 7pm. Four of Cayman’s top singers will be vying for the crown and $8,000 in cash and prizes. Andy Blake, Mona Lisa, James Geary and Erica Assai will be bringing the energy to the stage, but only one can emerge victorious.
All the performers are known for their talent and presence on the microphone, with fans in the audience showing their support. It promises to be a great show and dancing is encouraged. Ticketholders do not have to be vaccinated to attend.
7:30pm
AfterMas Foam Fete @ Coral Beach
One ticket gets guests two music experiences, as once Soca Monarch is finished, the spotlight turns to some of the best Soca DJs in Cayman spinning the tunes until 11:59pm. It’s the perfect way to end the day on a high note. General admission tickets are $25, with Dry-Zone VIP tickets at $35 and Dry-Zone VIP Cabana reservations (includes admission for four, private cabana and three bottles of premium liquor) for $550.
Sunday, 8 August
2pm
Tied Up @ Starfish Point
Nothing like a day out on the water after a parade and party. Join Boat Flex – departing Cayman Yacht Club at 2pm – for a trip out to Starfish Point. There will be a cash bar on board, along with DJs pumping the music out. Tickets are $25 in advance or $40 on the day, but be warned that the boat can only take 110 passengers, so getting your tickets early is key, or you might miss out.
Alternatively, take your own vessel along and bring a cooler with you. All are welcome.
Making CayMAS happen
Frederick would be the first person to admit that coordinating CayMAS with regulations still in place has been challenging, but he also said it is worth it for all those who have been looking forward to this weekend.
“We are [one of] the only islands in the Caribbean to be able to hold carnival for 2021 right now,” he said, “and we should be really proud of that. Yes, there are some rules to follow, but we don’t have to wear masks or social distance – there is a lot to be grateful for.
“We can’t wait to hit de road!”
For more information about CayMAS events, check out its Instagram page at @caymas.ky or its website at www.caymas.ky. Tickets for all CayMAS events are available online at www.eventpro.ky. Tickets are limited and numbers will be strictly regulated.
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