By Teino Evans, Staff ReporterIT WAS a soaking wet start for the Bacchanal Jamaica Road Parade yesterday due to the rain. Not to worry, however, as revellers and other participants who assembled in their colourful costumes at the Mona High School were not deterred.
As the parade begun at about 10:45 a.m., and slowly moved through the streets of St. Andrew, there was nothing but pure pandemonium, as excited passers-by and residents scurried to glimpse a piece of the action.
There were many attractions that brought entire families out to their gates and the roadside, to witness and experience the passing carnival, as two big music trucks, followed by revellers in colourful costumes, strolled on by, revelling and gyrating their bodies to the sound of soca.
One particular man, who brought his entire family (wife and three children), said they normally come out and watch every year, as it was like a family tradition. "Every year, it's traditional for me to take my family to carnival," Peter Lightbourne said.
Other families were just content with sitting in the back of their pickup vans and watching the festivities go by.
One reveller said the reason she participated this year is because she wanted a different experience. "Last year I was not a part of the costume parade, but my friend encouraged me to do it this year and promised that the feeling would not be the same."
As the excitement continued along the roadways, persons were kept in the vibe with music provided by Omar C and the Sparkles Disco on the first truck, and following not far behind was a second music truck, with revellers jumping to the sound of Delano and the Renaissance crew.
The costumes were also bright and sexy, as each of the six sections that were featured in the road parade had its own blend of colours and names, and each reflected a sponsor of the event.
CORPORATE SPONSORS
Digicel, the headline sponsor, owned the 'Las Vegas' section, whose costume is red, trimmed with gold braiding, and a matching headpiece spiralling to the centre with a cluster of red feathers. Then there was Smirnoff Ice, sponsors of the 'Frenchmen's Rio' section, Tampico sponsors of 'Monte Carlo', Pringles sponsors of 'Sun City', KFC sponsors of 'Ivory Coast' and 'Treasure Island' being sponsored by the RJR Communications Group.
What a blend of colourful costumes!
The parade, which circled areas in St. Andrew before coming to a final stop at the Mas Camp Village on Oxford Road, New Kingston, passed along the Mona Road, turned left on to Wellington drive, down to Old Hope Road, Musgrave Road, Trafalgar Road and ended up going on to Half-Way Tree Road and then on to Oxford Road.
All along these roads, revellers jumped and gyrated to familiar soca songs like Insane, Look Di Band Coming, She Bumpa Ketch A Fire, Juve and It's Carnival.
Those who were not clad in carnival costumes and were not partaking in some soca 'wining', had their cameras and camcorders to capture a bit of the festivities in the street.
Amidst all the excitement and partying, however, one of the drinks trucks had a minor freak accident, when a few crates of Red Stripe beers and sodas collapsed off the side of the truck. No one was injured.
The cool temperatures provided the perfect atmosphere for the all-day soca party on the streets of the Corporate Area.
