The Tribune

By KEILE CAMPBELL

kcampbell@tribunemedia.net

COSTUMES for Bahamas Carnival 2024 will look less like the Junkanoo-themed costumes of years past, according to Bahamas Carnival Association (BCA) president Dario Tirelli.

When Bahamas Carnival started in 2015, there was a mandate for Junkanoo-infused costumes.

But Mr Tirelli said during a press conference yesterday: “If you want someone to come and spend $2,500 to come here, you’re trying to get them to the product they’re used to. That product standard started to change five, six, seven years ago where it got more ‘sexy’, and so sexiness is the holiday of Carnival. You know, Carnival is a celebration, it's about a street party. That’s all it is."

The introduction of Carnival to The Bahamas received mixed reactions from Bahamians, some felt it was importing outside cultural expressions rather than building on Junkanoo.

Mr Tirelli said Carnival and Junkanoo have always been “married", and 95 percent of Bahamas Carnival’s artisans are Junkanoo participants.

“They can’t wait for us, but sometimes, you know, it’s a big debate in public, and everywhere I go, I get teased this and teased that, but just everyone has Junkanooers. Some of the best designers are in the carnival bands. Every carnival band has an element of Junkanoo in it.”

This year’s Carnival will run from May 15-20 and feature nine registered bands. Hennessy is the main sponsor and was represented at the press conference by its official Bahamian distributor, Commonwealth Brewery Limited (CBL).