Teino Evans, Staff Reporter

The mass of people swarming Constant Spring Road during the Jamaica Carnival road march will not happen this year, but is promised to return in 2008. - Norman Grindley, Deputy Chief Photographer

The 2007 Supreme Ventures Jamaica Carnival (in association with Digicel) season might not be quite what patrons have become accustomed to, as there will be a number of changes this year.

To begin with, the customary Chukka Cove concert on Easter Sunday has been relocated from Chukka Cove to the Richmond Estate, where the bMobile Reggae Sunsplash was staged last year, while there will be no road parade on Carnival Sunday.

In explaining why these changes were made, Julian Lee-Samuels, one of the directors of Jamaica Carnival, says, "We have outgrown the Chukka Cove venue and we will be relocating to the Richmond Estate, directly next door. Why we chose to do this? Much bigger facilities, more parking and a better opportunity to display our layout and products, so it will truly be like a fair ground."

Road Parade

As for the road parade, Lee-Samuels says, "We will not be doing a road parade on Carnival Sunday. We've decided to sit out this one. But we already have our plans for the 2008 road parade."

There are a few additions and expansions, however, that might just compensate for the changes.

Lee-Samuels says, "What is different this year is that there were a few highlighted events. We will have a bigger Montego Bay midnight mas, which is a night road parade with persons in affordable carnival attire (ACA), with the tourist community heavily involved."

"We have added a few new events to our roster. For the very first time we will be in Linstead, on March 18, and we have brought back the Easter Monday event after 10 years, which will be held in Port Royal on April 9. Also, for the first time ever, Jamaica Carnival will be participating in J'ouvert in Kingston (Friday, April 13). It will be the first time that a live band will be performing there," she said.

Jamaica Carnival is now gearing up for their launch, which will be held next week at the Acropolis Gaming and Entertainment Centre, in Barbican.

The first event kicks off on Friday, March 2, at The Jungle Night-Club in Negril.