Ten contestants have been confirmed for this year’s Queen Show, which includes two ‘wild cards’ in the mix, one of the major highlights of this year’s Carnival.
At a recent media launch, Chairman of the Carnival Queen Show Committee, Trevor King updated the audience on the status of this year’s beauty pageantry.
He admits that over the years, the interest from young women to participate in the National Carnival Queen pageant has grown and at least 16 young ladies auditioned for an opportunity to take part in the show.
King said the prospective contestants all gave a good account of themselves, and were well poised and outspoken for the making of a great show.
“I can guarantee that the show this year will be sold out …and the venue, this time, will be at the Pavillion (Tent), at Rodney Bay,” he said, while referring to the expectations and popularity of the event over the years.
According to King, the Queen Show is due for July 1 and there will be an extension to the Tent venue to accommodate a wider selection of contestants that include participants from Micoud, Soufriere, Dennery and other communities “and we are expecting a huge crowd, this year”.
He noted that since the contestants “all gave a good account of themselves” the organizers decided to add two more to the lineup.
Chair of the Carnival Planning and Management Committee [CPMC], Tamara Gibson acknowledged the participation of the contestants; and further commended the selection of eight of the island’s popular artists as Brand Ambassadors.
Said Gibson: “Last year, the CPMC put on a scaled down version of carnival with some key events not hosted, as a result of budget and time considerations.
“We also battled with the reality of Covid-19 still a concern for public health and safety. Despite this, we saw events being sold out and some bands with record numbers of participation.”
With reports of a record number of 10,000 visitors to the destination for last year’s carnival festival, Gibson added: “This year, we aim to build on that energy and to deliver an even better carnival product. Saint Lucia has seen an increase in popularity among carnivals across the region and we believe now is the opportune time to push even harder and to provide you with the greatest carnival experience, yet.”
The CPMC chair asserted that, “Saint Lucia Carnival 2023 offers something for everyone, whether you are a fan of music, the culture, creativity or the arts or you’re just here to enjoy good fetes and great vibes on the road.
“This carnival is your carnival!”
She welcomed the return of such events as, the community carnivals, kiddies’ carnival, inter-commercial house calypso competition and other activities for this year’s pageantry.
“Our communities have already began planning their different pageants and parades …and we’re proud of the increased efforts to ensure that they provide safe, affordable, and high quality experiences for you,” Gibson reported. “Quite a few of the communities have launched and the first community carnival kicks off with Gros Islet, slated for 28th May.”
Urging persons to come out and participate and support the island’s major cultural showpiece, she added: “We will continue to grow and innovate our carnival, and along the way you will find a ton of unique and interesting prizes.”
Gibson continued, “This year, we will be placing even greater emphasis on safety and security, but without your support our efforts will be futile. We must do better at managing conflicts and in supporting the police in their efforts to manage crime in our communities.
“The safety and success of our carnival depends on it. From J’Ouvert to Jump Up, from Festival to Fetes, from music to mas, our soul, our heartbeat, our vibe , our Vaval – Nothing Sweeter than Lucian Carnival.”