Multiple Band Mega Launch
- By Idea Ventures
- Published 18-Sep-19
- Carnival
- Unrated
While the large Carnival mas bands, especially the all inclusive ones, seem to be thriving, hosting elaborate launches and attracting premium corporate sponsors, the small and medium bands don’t fare as well.
President of the Trinidad and Tobago Carnival Bands Association (TTCBA), Rosalind Gabriel who founded the most successful children’s Carnival mas band, said the small and medium bands struggle to survive and stay alive from one year to another. She said these bands don’t have the resources to properly market themselves and they also find it difficult to secure major corporate support.
“Most of the small and medium bands have never done so because of their limited resources. They never even attempted, instead depending on releases in the newspapers and more recently social media to market their Carnival presentations,” Glasgow said.
Rosalind said she and Glasgow got to talking one day and the challenges of the small and medium bands came up. She said Glasgow suggested that the TTCBA and himself should team up and produce an event that would market the band’s’ respective presentations, while showcasing what Trinidad & Tobago Carnival has to offer to the world in totality.
“As a Carnival Special Interest Group we get a subvention from the NCC (National Carnival Commission), but with the costs to bring the bands out, like the high cost to hire a DJ and other needs, the money doesn’t stretch too far,” Gabriel said.
Over 25 bands will be showcasing their respective Carnival 2019 presentations. This will be broadcast live on television, via several online platforms and also on foreign television stations.
Peter Minshall who makes a return to mas next year will be invited to also make a guest appearance with his costumes as will Ivan Kalicharan and Ronnie & Caro.