Planning for Saint Lucia Carnival Moves into High Gear

The Government of Saint Lucia through the Ministry of Tourism, Investment, Creative Industries, Culture and Information has continued its preparations for Saint Lucia Carnival 2022. The cultural showcase is slated for 7th to 19th July with a mixture of national and private events.

‘Lucian Carnival’ as it is more affectionately known, will be managed through the Carnival Planning & Management Committee (CPMC) formerly known as the Carnival Planning & Management Agency (CPMA). This Committee will be chaired by Ms. Tamara Gibson who is familiar to the Carnival climate and brings a wealth knowledge and experience in event management and execution. The Committee will also compromise stakeholders including Events Company of Saint Lucia Inc. (ECSL), Cultural Development Foundation (CDF), Saint Lucia Tourism Authority (SLTA), Export Saint Lucia, Carnival Music Management Committee (CMMC), Steelpan Association and the Carnival Bands Association (CBA).

The music aspect of ‘Lucian Carnival’, namely the Calypso, Soca tents, Calypso and Soca Monarchs will be managed through the Carnival Music Management Committee (CMMC). This Committee was formerly known as the Calypso Management Committee (CMC). The renaming of the Committee is to help adapt to the evolving nature that music has played in the promotion of our Carnival. Carnival music includes calypso, groovy and power soca and the upcoming, highly-energized Kuduro or Dennery Segment. The Carnival Music Management Committee (CMMC) will be chaired by Mr. Claude Paul who formerly chaired the Calypso Management Committee (CMC) and has a history of working alongside other calypso tents.

Minister for Creative Industries and Culture, Dr. Ernest Hilaire stated, “I am excited with how plans are progressing for Lucian Carnival 2022. The Committees that we have put together, both the Carnival Planning and Management Committee and the Carnival Music Management Committee, bring a pool of experience to the table, as we plan to bring back our cultural showcase after its two-year hiatus. We know the trajectory that Carnival was on in 2020 before our precautionary closure, but the energy and demand for Carnival this year is like that of 2019.”

Dr. Hilaire further remarked, “It is very exciting when we hear that Carnival events are sold out within days after being launched, and some, even 4 to 5 months in advance. We also need to ensure that we give the National Events; Panorama, Calypso and Soca Monarchs, King and Queen of the Band and the Queen Show the necessary support so that they too, can be among the big events during the Carnival season.”

Meetings will continue to be held with officials from the Ministry of Health and the National Emergency Management Organization (NEMO) to finalize health and safety protocols for the hosting of Saint Lucia Carnival 2022, as we draw closer to the commencement of this highly anticipated cultural showcase. For more information about Saint Lucia Carnival 2022, call 1 (758) 458-6076.