What is carnival in Trinidad and other FAQs

Thank you for visiting our blog!  We hope this finds you safe and well.  If you’ve been thinking about going to Trinidad Carnival even with everything that’s going on right now, then this blog’s for you.  We’ll be writing about the potential impact of COVID-19 on Ultimate Trinidad Carnival and answering some other frequently asked questions like “What is carnival in Trinidad?”

Leh we go!

Will Trinidad Carnival be cancelled due to COVID-19 concerns?

While we don’t have a crystal ball to be able to answer this question specifically, we can share with you is the impact of a Trinidad Carnival cancellation or postponment on our trip Ultimate Trinidad Carnival 2021.  Firstly, our goal is to ensure that our clients do not lose money.  If Trinidad Carnival is cancelled, then we’ll immediately contact all of our clients to present them with various refund options.  If Trinidad Carnival is postponed, we’ll also contact our clients to inform them of the new dates and provide them with available options as well.  As you can see, we’re all about providing options!  We want to ensure that our clients make the best decision for them and their comfort levels.

What is Trinidad Carnival?

If you’re asking this question, then chances are you’ve seen pictures or videos of this amazing annual festival and are wondering what else happens there!  In a nutshell, Trinidad Carnival is a colourful, musical, exhilerating, and wonderful assault on the senses.  The energy on the twin islands of Trinidad and Tobago is infectious during Carnival time as the entire nation is in “carnival mode”!

There are many events that happen during Trinidad Carnival time, however to put them all simply, there are parties (fetes), the kick off to the Carnival Parade called J’ouvert (pronouned jou-vay), shows, Panorama events which are competitions of steelpan also known as steeldrums, the big show a.k.a. the Trinidad Carnival Parade and much, much more!  To get some more details, including the dates of upcoming Trinidad Carnivals, then you need our Ultimate Trinidad Carnival checklist.  Click here to get your copy.

How do I particpate in the Trinidad Carnival Parade in costume?

To get a costume you can choose from the hundreds of what are called mas bands in Trinidad.  Mas bands are providers of costumes that people can buy and then “play mas” with the mas band in the Trinidad Carnival Parade on Carnival Monday and Tuesday.  Getting a costume has become easier over the years with the introduction of online ordering however, you can still experience signifcant delays when communicating with mas bands and when collecting your costume in Trinidad when you get there.  Add to that, the complication of not getting the perfect fit of your costume and having to work with the mas band to make it right, it can turn out to be a frustrating and time consuming process!

We can help with that should you purchase an Ultimate Trinidad Carnival package.

Our costume provider of choice is Yuma, an all-inclusive mas band in Trinidad. We’ve played mas with Yuma for over 9 years and our masqueraders have been taken care of, had their costumes created to perfection and had a GREAT time!  We provide costume ordering, pickup, delivery and fitting with a UTC Ambassador in Trinidad.  Should anything not fit, we’ll work with Yuma to make it right.

One of our reasons for choosing to play mas with Yuma is because of the band size. Most of our clients are first-timers to Trinidad Carnival and navigating some of the other (larger) bands can be quite challenging. Yuma is easy to navigate even at a few thousand of masqueraders! This means you can get to the bathroom easier (no bladder malfunctions), will be able to find your friends throughout the day and most importantly, find your UTC Ambassadors if you need assistance.

Do I get to design my own costume?

You can, however keep in mind that mas bands are very protective of their masqueraders.  Even with your perfectly designed costume, you will not get to just follow bands in Trinidad.  Especially the larger bands; you will get ejected by their security if you’re not a verified masqueraders as indicated by your wrist band!

Fortunately for you, we work with Yuma, who is a leader in costume creativity and design in Trinidad. They’ll do all of the heavy lifting for you regarding designing your costume. You’ll get to pick costume options that will flatter you best.

What events can I attend?

As we mentioned earlier, there are many events that happen in Trinidad during Carnival time!  Our checklist can help you narrow down what those “must do” events are, however with Ultimate Trinidad Carnival, we’ve already done the ground work and selected a line up of events that provide you with the best of Trinidad Carnival.  See below for our 2021 event specifics:

Fetes (parties):

• 5-night Premium Experience: Fri Feb 12th – Phuket & Sun Feb 14th – Sunny Side Up Breakfast Party (Penthouse ticket)
• 2-night Upgrade: Wed Feb 10th – Lime at the Hyatt & Thurs Feb 11th – Tribe Ignite

Other events included in Ultimate Trinidad Carnival…

You’ll get a day trip to the popular Maracas Beach for a true Trini lime. We’ll take you to experience a Trini “curry que” where you’ll enjoy traditional Trini roti and other delicacies. J’ouvert morning is also yours as you parade through the streets “dutty” from head to toe. J’ouvert is the definition of freedom!

Wait…what is J’ouvert?

J’ouvert (pronounced jooou-vaay) is the kick off of the Trinidad Carnival Parade and starts very early in the morning on Mon Feb 15, 2021. You’ll grab breakfast, get drinks in your cup and party through the streets covered in paint and mud! Freedom!

I’m all about the music!  Do I get to see steeldrums at Trinidad Carnival?

Yes! You cannot visit Trinidad without taking in what Trinis call steelpan, which is the national instrument there. Trinidad and Tobago is the home of steelpan and during Ultimate Trinidad Carnival, we take you to a Pan Finals Lime, which is where you’ll get to watch it played in all of its glory by talented musicians known as pan men and women.

What do I get to eat while I’m in Trinidad?

If you’re asking this question, then you probably center your vacations around food like we do!  The short answer to your question is – you’ll eat everything!  From the Trini roti at our privately catered dinner, to the local dishes at breakfast served at the Hilton to gourmet doubles served at Sunny Side Up and bake and shark on Maracas Beach. When you return home, you’ll be craving Trini food, trust us!

Hope this blog has answered some of your questions about Trinidad Carnival and what to do while you’re there!  If you have any other questions, feel free to post it below, okay?

Til de next lime,

Esha and Tarik