UWI carnival kicks season into high gear

With a noon start time, students of tertiary institutions, along with members of the surrounding community and young people across Kingston arrived slowly on Saturday and then all at once to Ring Road at The University of the West Indies, Mona campus. A sea of colour, spandex and feathers began vibrating in time to the different rhythms the six heavy-hitting carnival speaker trucks provided. It was the UWI Carnival Road March, an event that promised to provide an experience akin to the now only weeks away Carnival in Jamaica Road March.

Young people chipped around the iconic UWI landmark aided by the steady flow of drinks and high-energy music-induced adrenaline. Boasting the hottest DJs of the season, the energy seemed to never falter during the day’s proceedings due to their expert stylings. UWI Carnival Ring Road was the perfect choice for a newbie reveller to ease into the intense veteran soca Viking lifestyle. This was true for Abigail Brown and Gabrielle Hunter, UWI students who have attended Ring Road Carnival before and will soon graduate to the bigger Carnival in Jamaica stage.

“I just came for the experience. [UWI Carnival] every year is fun. This is my second time,” said Brown.

The demographic of potential masqueraders proved extremely important for major Jamaican Carnival bands who are already seeking their next generation of loyal jumpers. College lifestyle brand and marketing agency, Campus Elite Jamaica, partnered with Xodus Carnival in an exclusive UWI contest. Students willing to take up the challenge would have a chance to win a band-sponsored costume for the Ring Road road march.

“Campus Elite had costumes that they’ve been giving away completely free courtesy of Xodus. They had a ‘Find The Feathers’ activity earlier this week where persons would participate in a scavenger hunt [to win]. Persons a part of the Campus Elite Network were also able to spin in the opportunity network wheel and win free costumes. So none of the costumes were sold, [it was] courtesy of Xodus on behalf of Campus Elite. So it’s been really awesome and the costumes are lovely,” said Jade Simmons, a Varsity Campus Elite member and UWI student.

Another band, GenXS Carnival, sponsored one of the carnival trucks providing one of six of the event’s powerful soundtracks. According to Kino Johnson, director of GenXS, who was on the ground overseeing proceedings, this provided “a splash” of the GenXS Carnival in Jamaica experience. An experience he made more accessible to the limited college student’s budget in a collaboration with youth marketing and talent agency UCA.

“GenXS believes in the future. The future is the college students and young professionals who still want to experience masquerading at an affordable but still high-quality price point. That’s why we partnered with UCA to bring you the section The Slayer for some 30 per cent less than the actual price of [a standard section]. On Campus and throughout the tertiary space we have quite a few princes and princesses as we call them, our junior ambassadors. You’ll know influencer and TV personality JevG, another TV starlet and YouTuber Justine Isaacs and we have Kodian Jackson a [radio producer who is] also on some GenXS’ sets and Kimmy Sue. We have so many beautiful princes and princesses who work hard behind the scenes and play hard inside the fees.”

Romeich Major, entertainment business mogul and celebrity artiste manager, echoed similar sentiments as he stood proudly capturing videos of the carnival truck making its way around Ring Road emblazoned with the Major Productions logo. Dancers clad in branded T-shirts expertly maintained the soca energy from atop the truck and below on the road to provide a sight not easily ignored and hard not to join.

“Everything starts from the youths. At the end of the day, the young adults enjoying themselves so [Major Productions] will benefit for Jamaica Carnival in every way. It’s better for the brand that we are involved [from this stage … Entertainment is entertainment whether Reggae, Soca or anything. We just love fi see the people a have fun.”

entertainment@gleanerjm.com