North Leeward is taking the lead in launching its rural carnival 2024.
The North Leeward Sports and Cultural Organisation (NLSCO) will kick start it carnival activities on Monday — Whit Monday — at the Chateaubelair Playing Field, under the theme “Revel in the Excitement, Enter the Fete Zone”.
The launch will see performances from some of SVG’s leading artistes, including Casper G, Sick-O, Dha D, Fligh, Fonando D Bambooman and Grabba Finese. The event will also feature, ole mas, costume displays, junior calypso performance and an extempo and new song competition.
Spokesperson for NLSCO, Kenville Horne said that this year’s launching promised to be exciting and fun. “North Leeward is blessed with talent and tradition and we want to ensure that the launch incorporates those qualities. We are asking for people to turn out in their numbers to make the 2024 carnival launch one to remember,” Horne said.
President of NLSCO, Elron Lewis said that the organisation has a mandate to maintain and develop cultural activities in the constituency.
“So, basically, we see carnival as giving the patriot in North Leeward an opportunity to witness our own talent. So, we have the soca monarch, where we would give the young and upcoming artiste from North Leeward a platform to go out and showcase their talent,” Lewis said.
He said that the other activities will also give the artistes and DJs an opportunity to perform and showcase their talent and earn an income.
Lewis also highlighted the benefits to vendors.
“We want everybody to come and be part of the activities. Let’s make the carnival as safe as possible,” the NLSCO president said.
Vice President of NLSCO, Nadichia Browne announced that there will be no Miss North Leeward Pageant this year.
Browne said the organisation began recruiting contestants in January.
“We have four contestants confirmed and a potential fifth contestant but two contestants dropped out, citing unreadiness for 2024. So, we didn’t think it was possible or a good idea to have it this year,” Browne said.
“In the future, we hope to extend to Miss Leeward instead of Miss North Leeward, so that we can get contestants as far as South Leeward,” she explained.
Browne also appealed to revellers to attend and show support.
She said that the soca monarch competition at the Petit Bordel Hard Court on June 8 is open to artistes from outside North Leeward and that some of the events will be held by private promoters with support of the organisation.
The other activities for North Leeward Carnival 2024 are a wet fete on June 1, Kiddies Carnival at the Chateaubelair Playing Field on June 9, “Nasty in White” j’ouvert party at the Petit Bordel Hard Court on June 14, J’ouvert and Street Jump Up on June 15, Brunch Soiree on June 16 and Tropical Paradise Summer Bliss on Aug. 3.