Carnival Mas Camp Kicks Off In Belize City

The carnival this year clashes with the Expo Market place organized by the Belize Chamber of Commerce and industry. Both events attract huge crowds and are popular events in the September celebrations calendar. But tonight, Mas Camp 2013 gets underway. It is a prelude to the Carnival Road March which takes place on September fourteenth and which we will carry live on this station. Prejudging of the band groups is taking place right now. It is a critical part of the competition as the points received from the mas camp roll over to the road march to determine the winner for the carnival season. Program Officer at the Institute of the Creative Arts, Shanice Garbutt, says this year the districts are participating.

Shanice Garbutt

“As you know, the mas camp starts tonight at seven with Sunshine Masqueraders, then we move on to Soca Warriors and finish with Trench Town tonight.”

Duane Moody

“Of course tell us about what it is that the judges will be looking for during the mas camps?”

Shanice Garbutt

“They look for the revelers in the bands, the amount and they look for the artistic qualities that they have to portray in each bands. For this year we have a total of twelve carnival bands—that being six juniors and six seniors and this year we have two of the juniors being out district from Seine Bight and P.G. of course.

Duane Moody

“How has it grown over the years?”

Shanice Garbutt

“It hasn’t grown much, but I think every year we will have an additional band, which will be great, and that will make the carnival more bigger and more exciting.”