One of the highlights of Dominica’s Carnival festivities, the Miss Dominica Pageant, will not be held during the season in 2018.
Speaking at a meeting for Carnival stakeholders on Wednesday, Festival and Events Manager at the Dominica Festival Committee (DFC), Val Cuffy blamed logistical challenges and said the event could be held in April 2018.
“The national Miss Dominica Pageant will not be happening during Carnival 2018 because the logistics are not in place in terms of preparation for the young ladies,” he stated.
He said the contestants have not been selected as yet.
“So we had to put this on the backburner,” he stated. “We are hoping that we propose or consider April 2018 as a possible date to do the event which will give us a little bit more time terms of getting the girls ready for the regional pageants…”
Despite this Cuffy said the Carnival revelry will take place providing there is support.
He said the DFC is planning to have a media launch of Carnival 2018 on December 5.
“We think it will be the opportune time to let the world know that there is going to be an activity for Dominica’s Carnival in 2018,” Cuffy noted.
Several new activities for Carnival 2018 were proposed during the meeting to include a carnival award ceremony, carnival road trips, street festivals and a carnival movie night to show reruns of past carnival events and a suggestion for two J’ouvert mornings was also discussed.
Shame on Dominica,what is the significant of carnival 2018 that it cannot be skipped and just have a grand 2019 carnival
They should not even mention about carnival when most villages are still electricity.
I call it shame on Dominica
Cancel 2018 carnival. Or hold one Calypso fundraiser. Focus on independence events. No money from private sector .patrons. no homes or locations for visitors to stay..It’s not business as usual.. Be realistic. One carnival will not kill Dominicans.. Focus on rebuilding.
Dat vulgar, lewd event called Carnival should be off the books in Dominica for good starting from 2018.
Dat’s what should happen.
She is very lovely…
I am wondering which private sector business will be able t sponsor carnival whist trying to rebuild their business. I think there should be a few activities and leave at that. Come back bigger and stronger in 2019.
On another note, perhaps the looters can sponsor prizes
You had me cracking up
If I were all of you, after Hurricane Maria, for those who agree, I would only have J’ouvert and carnival jump-up during the day.
Keep the Miss Dominica Pageant and the flair of it off until 2019.
God not finish with you all yet. Go head and plan. what will it take for there to be pause to reflect on your ways, events and activities. Despite the devastation and lost of lives its the same old same old like nothing happened
I Guess move carnival to march
Caribbean 2018 dates
Date Location
January 1 – 2, 2018 Bahamas (Junkanoo)
January 7 – February 13, 2018 Guadeloupe
TBC Turks & Caicos
February 7 – 13, 2018 Puerto Rico: (Carnaval Ponceño)
February 9 – 17, 2018 Rio de Janiero, Brazil
February 10, 2018 Colombia Barranquilla Carnival
February 10 – 11, 2018 Aruba
February 11 – 13, 2018 Curaçao
February 11 – 14, 2018 Martinique Carnival
February 12, 2018 St. Barts
February 12 – 13, 2018 Trinidad & Tobago
February 12 – 13, 2018 Dominica
February 13, 2018 Haiti (Kanaval)
February 23, 2018 Guyana (Mashramani)
February 23 – 26, 2018 Panama City, Panama
March 3, 2018 Dominican Republic (Punta Cana)
April 8, 2018 Jamaica (Bacchanal)
April – May TBC St. Thomas (US Virgin Islands)
April 30, 2018 St. Martin
May 2 – 8, 2018 Cayman Islands (Batabano)
June 15 – 18, 2018 Bermuda (heroes weekend)
July 2, 2018 St. Vincent & The Grenadines
July, 2018 TBC St. Lucia
June – July, 2018 TBC St. John…
I know the government of Dominica is adamant about Mas 2019 however I have an idea that I am not sure they have considered. Why don’t they consider moving carnival to the summer time? I know everyone thinks carnival should be before lent but here are the following reasons that a move would be wise;
1. We compete with Trinidad carnival every year, the biggest in the Caribbean. By moving the carnival we wont have as much competition and getting tourist to visit the island would increase. (Grenada, Barbados and Antigua all have carnivals in the summer)
2. Maria devastated DA, the odds that our facilities will be ready for carnival in 3 months is slim, but moving the even to July gives the island 5 extra months to prepare.
3. This could be a test case to see if carnival could be permanently moved to the summer. We promote it as a one time event but if it is more successful than our traditional carnival we could make it an every year event.
Progress is thinking ahead…
Great Idea i think the same but a date got to be selected because remember you have St.Vincent, St. Lucia, Antigua and Barbados all happening in the that month. I think May is a perfect time because i dont think there are other island carnivals happening around that time
May is commune entrance and CXC and final exams too much distractions for the kids and it would be unfair for them to not be able to take part.
What date in July? Toronto has Carnival at the end of July, beginning of August. The first Monday in August is a holiday in Ontario. Carnival is the Saturday before that Monday.
I whole-heartedly support reasons 2 & 3 but to think thAt Dominica’s Carnival can ever rival T & T’s is not even a possibility .