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Crop Over Carnival (July - August)
Crop Over, a five-week summer festival, is Barbados' most
popular and colourful festival. It's origins can be traced
back to the 1780's, a time when Barbados was the world's largest
producer of sugar. At the end of the sugar season, there was
always a huge celebration to mark the culmination of another
successful sugar cane harvest - the Crop Over celebration.
As the sugar industry in Barbados declined, so too did the
Crop Over festival and in the 1940's the festival was terminated
completely. However, the festival was revived in 1974 and
other elements of Barbadian culture were infused to make the
extravaganza that exists today ..... an event that attracts
thousands of people from across the globe.
- The festival begins with the Ceremonial Delivery of
the Last Canes and the crowning of the King and Queen
of the Festival - the most productive male and female cane
cutters of the season.
- Bridgetown Market consists of several stalls which
sell local food and beverages as well as local arts and
crafts. Enjoy the calypso music and the live tuk bands as
you browse through the stalls.
- Cohobblopot is a huge carnival-like show with members
of the Kadooment bands displaying their elaborate and stunning
costumes. In recent years there has also been a huge entertainment
package with the most popular calypsonians and bands performing
to packed audiences.
- The children are not left out as they can participate
in the Kiddies Kadooment, donning beautiful costumes
and joining their friends in a band to parade before the
judges of the competition.
- Folk concerts and art and photographic exhibitions are
integral parts of the festival, highlighting Barbadian history
and culture as well as the artistic talents of Bajans.
- Calypso is one of the main features of the Crop
Over festival. The calypsonians are organised into "tents"
(Conquerers, Untouchables, House of Soca, Pioneers, Stray
Cats,etc) and these tents are sponsored by Barbados businesses.
Calypsonians compete for several prizes and titles, including
the Party Monarch, the Road March Monarch and the Pic-O-De-Crop
Monarch.
The semi-finals of the Pic-O-De-Crop competition are held
at the picturesque East Coast Road, where the calypsonians
perform on a stage with the Atlantic surf as the backdrop
while the spectators gather in the hillsides with their
picnic baskets. This magnificent spectacle should not be
missed! The finals of the Pic-O-De-Crop competition is held
at the National Stadium, and this is followed by the Fore-Day
Morning Jump-Up!
- The grande finale is the Grand Kadooment! This
carnival parade features large bands with members dressed
in elaborate costumes to depict various themes. Designers
compete for the coveted Designer of the Year prize while
the revelers seem more intent on having a good time!
The revelers make their way from the National Stadium to
Spring Garden accompanied by the pulsating rythym of calypso
music. When they reach Spring Garden, the party continues
with more fantastic music, lots of food and drink and, for
some, a quick swim at the nearby beach. A grand end to a
grand festival.
Crop Over - more than a carnival!
Source: www.barbados.org
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