Thousands of revellers took to the streets of Grand Cayman on Saturday to dance, jump and party their way from George Town to West Bay in the first-ever unified One Cayman Carnival.
With Cayman’s two major carnivals – the long-running Batabano and more recent creation CayMAS – joining forces for the first time, the festival atmosphere went through the roof, with many taking part wearing stunning and colourful costumes in a lively display of music, dance and Caribbean culture.
Dancers and onlookers celebrated together under the blazing hot sun with the iconic rhythms of soca music filling the air as music pumped from vast speakers along the route.
A variety of trucks supported good causes while adding to the festival vibe this year, including Fete For A Cause, which raised funds for the Cayman Islands Cancer Society; Soca Not Seizures, raising funds and awareness for The Grey Area supporting brain cancer; Legacy Mas, Batabano’s newest mas band presenting “Spirit of the Seas”; and Pinnacle Mas, showcasing the pageantry of Batabano while paying tribute to Caymanian Seafarers.
The street event kicked off promptly at 1pm on South Church Street, travelling along the waterfront to Eastern Avenue and up West Bay Road before ending in a festival party at Public Beach.
Feathers, sequins and glitter, and even several stilt walkers were in the carnival mood as the parade made its way along the official route, with the only complaint being that it was moving at too fast a pace for some.
Royal Cayman Islands Police Service and Cayman Islands Red Cross worked tirelessly to ensure safety along the route, with some people being seen receiving medical treatment on the roadside, but no major incidents reported.
After the parade came the after party, with crowds gathering inside and around the event space at Public Beach and an impromptu village of food and soft drinks stalls springing up for the night in the car park. And for those who merely watched this year, but who are inspired to join in next year’s festivities, the countdown to One Cayman Carnival has already begun.
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