The Carnival King and Queen Competition was held On Saturday night at the MCC Grounds. There were a total of 30 kings and queens who hit the big stage at the MCC to show off their mega costumes. Our team was there and Monica Bodden reports.
The MCC Grounds was packed with onlookers on Saturday night - as 30 competitors -13 Kings and 17 Queens took the stage to show off their elaborate carnival costumes.
Monica Bodden Reporting
It was fierce competition as these bands went out in full force - bringing nothing but their best performances to the stage.
In the end there could only be 4 winners. In the junior Queen category - Mahogany Masqueraders Carnival Band took home first place along with 4,000 dollars in cash… The Junior King Category also went to -Mahogany Masqueraders along with another 3000 dollars cash prize.
Nadia Avila - Mahogany Masqueraders Band Leader
"I think with it is that you need to stay positive regardless of what obstacle may come your way. You need to love what you do and the first things you need to care about are the kids. If you like something it doesn't matter what the cost is you will do it. People might have a lot to say in reference to the costume may not meet their standards or whatever but I try to read my rules and I ask questions - I am willing to learn and I always stay positive with just dealing with the kids. My king is king "cuculuku ku" he is a rooster - he will be leading the first section with the babies. That means preserving our economy - let us deal with what we have here in Belize; chicken, fish, vegetables, fruits - those are the babies. The second section is the celebration of culture - the queen for this section is queen "Florumba" she is under that beautiful tree that we flourish and the third queen is "queen eseny (love)" and she is Cherry Wade - first place for her costume - it's a cultural costume - it's a costume that shows you a little bit of each ethnic group in our country of Belize."
In the senior Queen category Jam Jam Carnival Band took first place with a 5 thousand dollars cash prize and Senior King went to Southside Masqueraders.
Tricia Hemmans - Jam Jam Carnival Band
"I was representing Travellers' Liquors Belize's best rum, Traveller's advise you guys to drink responsibly."
Monica Bodden
"How much energy you needed for tonight to get on that stage and work that costume?"
Tricia Hemmans - Jam Jam Carnival Band
"Red Bull and Monster did the job. Nothing else to say. Big up Traveller's always."
Alma Gabriel - Band Leader
"Preparation for tonight was a little difficult, sleepless; I haven't sleep since Thursday night. It's a lot of work but we made it through and due to Joseph and Taylor and Traveller's Liquors and especially Ms. Perla Perdomo and Mr. Francis Codd - without them we couldn't have done this."
Monica Bodden
"First of all George tell me what's the costume's name?"
George Parks - Senior King Winner
"King Triton - I am the protector and the ruler of the Atlantis."
Pauline Bradley - Costume designer
"It took us about a month but it could have been less because we had two other costumes, so were back and forth with all of them, it's about a month with all three of them."
Monica Bodden
"How did the idea came about?"
Pauline Bradley - Costume designer
"We did a lot of research along with OCEANA who is our biggest sponsor - they were the one who gave us the idea. Then with this research we just came up with some ideas and this is what we came up with."
Monica Bodden
"How do you feel about your win?"
George Parks - Senior King Winner
"I feel awesome."
Monica Bodden
"Are you excited? It took a lot of guts to go out there and work that costume on stage?"
George Parks - Senior King Winner
"Definitely."
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