DC Launches Caribbean Carnival
2009
By Leslie-Ann Robertson Toney
The
DC Caribbean Carnival Committee (DCCC) of the Washington
Metropolitan Area launched the annual Caribbean Carnival
festival with a party at Zanzibar on the Waterfront
on Saturday April 18. Several bands already registered
with the DCCC had displays of their costumes and band
leaders were present to provide information on their
respective Carnival 2009 portrayals and register masqueraders.
Island Vibes met with Roland Barnes, President of
the DCCC, and one of the foundation members of the
committee to find out more information about this
year’s carnival.
Barnes has been president of
the DCCC for over 10 years. He explained that this
is the carnival’s 17th year, although there
were previous attempts, by the Smithsonian Institute
in the early 1970s and again through another organization
around 1977; however these did not yield a recurring
annual festival such as the current one. Barnes added
that in 1992 a group of people from different Caribbean
organizations decided to come together to re-introduce
the carnival to the Washington Metropolitan Area as
a means of promoting Caribbean carnivals and culture.
The mission of DCCC is to showcase
the art forms derived from carnival, promote the talents
of local Caribbean people and find opportunities to
bring organizations together to showcase the diversity
of culture in the English-speaking and non-English
speaking Caribbean communities. Over the past 17 years
the groups from every Caribbean nation have participated;
though Barnes could not say at this time specifically
which countries would be represented in this year’s
parade. He noted that they had already received registration
packets from 21 bands, who had met the April 15 early
registration deadline.
Among the DCCC-sponsored events
that locals can look forward to are: a Pan Jamboree,
Dimanche Gras King and Queen of the Bands competition,
the annual carnival parade on Georgia Avenue in June,
and the concert and artists market at Banneker Field
the following day. Barnes clarified that the DCCC
purposely limits the number of events it hosts because
it acts as an umbrella organization, a liaison with
the government of the District of Columbia to get
permits for the parade, and with the many Caribbean
organizations in the area. Masquerade and steelbands,
and event promoters are encouraged to provide the
information on their events to the DCCC and information
is listed on their website. They also begin tapping
into local media to publicize information related
to the event.
This year’s carnival
takes place on June 27 and 28. Individuals desiring
more information can contact the DC Caribbean Carnival
Committee via their website at www.dccaribbeancarnival.org
for more information.
(Leslie-Ann Robertson Toney
is a contributor to Island Vibes Magazine.
For comments, please feel free to contact her at leslie@islandvibesmag.com.)
