Anyone who has stood by the side of the road to support carnival mas bands will know that there is usually a mix of large, vibrant, frontline feathered costumes; midline members; and backline designs – as well as T-shirted participants – in the parade.
CayMAS has now decided to cut back on the latter, in order to allow the more intricate and dazzling costumes to shine. Organisers said that the decision has been made based on feedback they have received from mas bands and spectators.
They were quick to note that they were not completely removing T-shirt groups, but rather wanted to reduce the percentage wearing them.
“Carnival is first and foremost about the colours, vibrancy and flair of costumes and feathers,” the organisation said in a press release on Monday, 17 Oct. “Spectators, though they appreciate [the] T-shirts section as a part of the [parade], have expressed that it removes from the carnival masquerade experience.”
It added that people wanted to see what the new costumes were for each specific year, and to be able to take pictures with masqueraders wearing them.
The new CayMAS regulations state that a costumed mas band is allowed to have a T-shirt section, but that it can only represent 30% of the total registered participants or 175 shirts sold, whichever criteria is reached first.
“CayMAS Carnival is aiming to create a delicate balance between the expectations of our bands and masqueraders, and our spectators and sponsors, when it comes to the presentation of our Carnival parade,” the press release stated.
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