The Bands all dressed up in their spectacular costumes parade down the street swaying to their tune, dancing and carrying on.
Video #1 (image at right), is the first band we filmed (blue box), its actually number two in the parade that started with a dozen bands. Barbados Carnival is an August Holiday Party and for the whole month the islands is partying. The night clubs stage parties and dancing is everywhere. All the while the competition for the best band, the best tune and the best costumes are winding down.
The Grande finale of Carnival in Barbados is Kadooment or the big-to-do. This is the Grand parade of bands and their supporters all in fancy dress marching to their beat on the street.
You will also hear the word J’ouvert or Jouve associated with carnival, This is derived from the French jour ouvert, or dawn/day break. In Barbados it is called Foreday. Jouves are night-time street party and one of the many Crop Over Events for the season> Jouve (foreday) is a precursor to the Grand Kadooment parade. Revelers cover themselves in paint and mud parading in the early foreday morning. Lots of music food & drinks are available for the march. Foreday 2012 is on Saturday August 6th just two days before the Grand Final Kadooment Parade on Monday August 8th.
Crop over is an entire season over several months. It starts in April and ends in August. Through that time costumes are made, calypso are created, bands practice their new songs and enter into a long list of performances and competitions. All nightclubs in Barbados get into the act and there are endless parties, live show and dance.
Barbados born International singing star, Rihanna was here for Crop-Over Carnival last year and was not at all shy about joining the very raunchy bumps and grinds, which are sometimes not at all elegant. Skin and suggestion are on parade at Carnival which is a time to celebrate and let it all go. Caribbean people love to let go and be sexy.
The big event, the grand parade in August (Kadooment), is a hot tourist attraction and a time to let your hair down and let it rip in Barbados. Everything goes almost. But I noted that in 2012 the army stood by at the end of the spring garden parade street with automatics in hand. They were smart and discreet behind the wire fence, dressed in combat camouflage, but the reserves were watching the girls who taunted them with provocative moves and taunting smiles.
Even after the parade the party continues with celebrations, live events and parties.
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