Opening Day of Carnival

Carnival is a pre-Lenten celebration (46 days before Easter) held in February or March.  However, two weeks before Carnival, Portsmouth held a celebration for the official start of Carnival Season.  After which dozens of Calypso bands compete for the grand finale as well as the National Queen pageants that showcase talent and beauty.  It is undeniably hard to miss the fervour of the people's loyalty to their favorite season!!

As we left our boats in the afternoon to go to the jump up parade, it started to rain.  Once we were on shore, it poured.  As we waited for it to pass, this youngster was having fun with the waterfall cascading from the roof.

Porter and Liv enjoy popcorn and water as we await the start of the parade.

Who needs a marching band when you have an oversized truck, humungous speakers, BOOMING calypso and soca music and a DJ on the roof!?

Ross!  Our friend Ross found us in the crowd and pulled Erica and I into the parade.  He even gave us our own costumes:  Erica is sporting a hockey helmet and I am adorned with a wet t-shirt.  Lucky us!!

Sensay costumes made of frayed rope, leaves or various other materials.  It is always accompanied by a mask and often horns.  Do you recognize this mask?  It was the one being painted when we visited the CALLS school.

Another Sensay costume

School children dancing in the parade

Liv, with a birds eye view of the massive street JUMP UP - everyone joins in and follows the truck-o-music through town.

Bob and Christine try to say something among the chaos

Swimming in a sea of dancing locals

Ahhh, we made it to the end