KIDDIES CARNIVAL RESULTS

 JUNIOR MIAMI CARNIVAL RESULTS - OCTOBER 5, 2024

I am still processing the "Kiddies Carnival", but for now here are the winners.  Congratulations to all!!! Saturday's weather was awful and the majority of you survived it! 

JUNIOR MIAMI CARNIVAL MALE INDIVIDUAL OF THE YEAR

1st – JOSHUA SKYWALKER portraying “Chief Bohechio” from Zing Zing Kidzz

2nd – Zion McKinson portraying “Nikatau” from Party Room Squad

3rd – Kadyn Joseph portraying De Juice Man from Zing Zing Kidzz

 

JUNIOR MIAMI CARNIVAL MALE INDIVIDUAL OF THE YEAR, UNDER AGE 5

1st – KIAI FLATTS portraying “Lucky Dragon” from Wassi Babes

2nd – Hendrix Flournah portraying “Baby Ray” from Major Players

 

JUNIOR MIAMI CARNIVAL FEMALE INDIVIDUAL OF THE YEAR

1st – KEYONNA MARCANO portraying “Electrical Stinger” from Major Players

2nd – Annalisa Joseph portraying “Amina of Zazzay” from Party Room Squad

3rd – Eva Barthelemy portraying “Lady Belle” from Zing Zing Kidzz

 

JUNIOR QUEEN OF MIAMI CARNIVAL

1st – HEZIYAH MORRIS portraying “The Abundance of Life” from Zing Zing Kidzz

2nd – Khalilah Flatts portraying “Junkanoo” from Wassi Babes

3rd – Adelaila Cabrera portraying “Sea Dreams” from Major Players

 

JUNIOR KING OF MIAMI CARNIVAL

1st – CAIRO (Milo) LEWIS portraying “Alkebulan Africa” from Zing Zing Kidzz

2nd – Elijah Forrester portraying “Midnight Robber” from Break Awae Kru Kids

3rd – Theron Adams portraying “Light of the Morning Glory” from Natural Disasters

 

JUNIOR MIAMI CARNIVAL BAND OF THE YEAR

1st – WASSI BABES portraying “IN DE FESTIVAL”

2nd – Zing Zing Kidzz portraying “Fusion of the Caribbean”

3rd – D-Junction Kids portraying “The Wonders of Spice Isle”

4th – Major Players portraying “A School of Mas”

5th – Break Awae Kru portraying “Tradition Retold”

6th – Natural Disasters portraying “Beauty of a Vase”

7th – Party Room Squad and Mas Dynasty portraying “Griot”

8th – Fun Generation Too portraying “Over the Years”

MIAMI JUNIOR CARNIVAL PAN SOLOIST

1st – Alanis Hosein playing “Old and Gray”

2nd – Antes Perkins Jr. playing “DNA”

 

MIAMI JUNIOR CARNIVAL SOCA MONARCH

1st – Shira, singing “I’m Not Shy”

2nd – Asia, singing “Bomath”

3rd - Elijah, singing “Tribute Anthem”

4th – Conan, singing “We not going”

MIAMI BROWARD CARNIVAL EVENT TICKETS ARE STILL AVAILABLE

TICKETS ARE STILL AVAILABLE 

FOR ANYONE NOT AFFILIATED WITH A JOUVERT OR CARNIVAL MAS BAND!

JUNIOR CARNIVAL better known as Kiddies Carnival will be on Saturday, October 5th 2024.  Pre-Sale tickets are $20 plus fees or the "Fren an Dem" package of 5 get one free for $100 plus fees.  The kiddies carnival is set to begin at 1pm and ending at 10. Personally, I don't understand why it's 9 hours long.  There are children that come out in strollers and walkers that can not make it in that hot sun for that long.. It needs to be broken down or sped up or something.  That is too many hours for these babies. But again, that's my personal opinion. 

PANORAMA is Friday, October 11th, 2024. Single Pre-Sale tickets are $30 plus fees and the "Fren an Dem" package for $150 which gives you 5 tickets and the 6th one is free.  Panorama is from 4pm on their flyer and 5 to 11pm on the website.  Of the two, I don't know exactly which time it actually starts but let's go with 5 for safe measure. I truly wished that more people would take in the Panorama. 

JOUVERT is Saturday, October 12th, 2024. Single Pre-Sale is $65 plus fees and the "Fren and Dem" is $325 plus fees which gives you 5 tickets and the 6th one is free.  

CARNIVAL DAY PARADE PLUS CONCERT Single Pre-Sale is $50 plus fees and the "Fren and Dem" is $250 plus fees which gives you 5 tickets and the 6th one is free. After that, it becomes a little complicated for carnival day. It has early bird options, cabanas, children's tickets, etc. I ain't able. Should any of these tickets call your name, feel free to purchase by clicking -----> HERE <-----

Let's do this right.  Support the carnival in one way or the other. Pay to get into a band or pay the association so everyone can continue celebrating in our culture.  

#Bless

PANORAMA, JUNIOR CARNIVAL AND ADULT J'OUVERT TICKETS ON SALE NOW!!!

LET'S GET THESE TICKETS GOING! 

PURCHASE THEM HERE!

KIDDIES CARNIVAL IN "MIAMI" 2018

Blogging now just seems like rants so I've stopped doing it all together.  There are some things that I do have to address just because I feel so strong about it.  Kiddies Carnival 2018 at Broward Regional Park happens to be one of them.

Kiddies Carnival as we know it seems to be a thing of the past and it saddens me.  I'm here to give you my thoughts and opinions.  I also have a question or two.

My children played in Wassi Babes and prior to going into the park, I already knew that Wassi Babes would be last.  I walked into the park and it was noticeably empty.  My initial thought was that it was this empty because of the time but no, I got there much later than normal and if my memory serves me right, it was about 3/4 o'clock.

There were 4.....

FOUR bands for Kiddies Carnival.

F-O-U-R!

I think the amount of mas bands on the road is what bun me most.  Why? Can anyone answer that for me? Is it that there's not enough money in it for band leaders? I understand that many get into the carnival business for only the money but it doesn't have anyone out there that would do it for the culture besides these four bands leaders?

• Natural Disasters
• Party Room Squad
• Royalty Kids and 
• Wassi Babes

In my humble (but not humble) opinion, if these band leaders had a genuine love for the carnival and really felt that children had a rightful place in the carnival, they would have figured it out the same way they figure it out for the adult mas and the jouvert. If it's about funding, why not get your group of kids together and join a kiddies band that is already established?  There were FOUR bands that they could have gone to to bring a section.  Money would still make no?  My guess is people want all or none...  

It wasn't only the fault of the missing bands though.  Where were the parents of all these missing children? Where were the aunties, uncles, siblings, grandparents and godparents who were to bring these children out to learn, enjoy, familiarize and embrace a little bit of their culture?  Why are the parks filled for adult mas and jouvert but empty for panorama and kings and queens?  Bad enough we get a partial carnival here in the states because there's no Soca Monarch, Chutney Soca Monarch, Dimanche Gras, Road March competition, etc.  All of that to say that we have a condensed version of the real thing and we as people are doing a piss poor job of letting the little of the culture they allow us to have live on.  In no way do I expect the numbers that the adult mas bring but there was almost no one there to cheer on the children who were!

The culture of a people lives on by allowing the children to grab the torch! It is supposed to be continuously handed down from one generation to the next. It all begins with Kiddies Carnival or The Junior Carnival as some prefer to call it. As a child, they fall in love with it and as they get older get to understand that carnival is actually a competition.  By understanding that it's a competition, the children can/will learn how important it is to display a costume.  Do a portrayal of whatever they are masquerading as. Let them know that carnival is not just about drinking, jooking and gyrating. Let them experience carnival and fall in love.

Miami's 2018 Kiddies Carnival was an embarrassment and a slap in the face to the culture and all those who are working diligently trying to preserve it.

As for the carnival itself, I understand that there is concert after the fact and artists are carded to perform at a certain time but I feel like the children suffer in that sweltering heat for hours unnecessarily.  There were only four bands on 'the road', so why drag it out for so long unless they're trying to buy time?  How are the children being considered? This happens annually with double if not triple the amount of bands, so what is the excuse when there were only four this year? There needs to be a serious Junior/ Kiddies Carnival revamp and if it can happen as soon as 2019, that would be greatly appreciated.

On a positive note, all the children looked too cute in their costumes, had broad smiles on their faces and seemed to be in very high spirits.  I just wished that more people could have seen them. Whether they were playing mas or not, I would have loved to see a better turn out of children.

For God's sake, it's our children. Please, do better!

KIDDIES CARNIVAL AND SEV3N.....

Good day all!

How art thou?
Laughing to self.

It was a long Miami carnival season and I am pleased to announce that I made it!

I can also tell everyone that I TOLD YOU SO, Hurricane Matthew did not make it! I have a lot to discuss concerning the carnival season from the start which was kiddies carnival and SEV3N to SSSBlue and my official last lap, the Breast Cancer walk downtown Miami with team D'Limers. Only thing is it can get lengthy so I will divide everything into separate blogs.

First was the kiddies carnival in the day and SEV3N later that night.  Both events will be in this blog as they were both on the same day and what I have to say can fit into one blog post.

THE KIDDIES CARNIVAL

Let me begin by saying that the kiddies carnival was moved from the Sunday before the adult carnival to the day before, Saturday.  The reasons given were good and I support their decision 100%. The reason for the change was that children and adults alike who either partake or spectate at the event are not tired but damn tired.  For a child to stand up, wine, sit down, whatever it is that they do in the hot sun is torture and takes a toll on their little bodies.  Then the adults are running behind children, drinking and having a time themselves.  By the time everyone is settled on a Sunday night, it's level sleep and I'm guessing that over the years like clockwork parents were not taking their children to school on time if at all the following Monday morning. It's so bad that for the past two years the Broward County school board has made automated phone calls reminding parents that children need to come to school and to be on time the week of.  I kid you not.  I get them. So for all that didn't know, now you know.  I'm all for progression and elevation of our culture but education is key! We can't interfere with that.

The children looked lovely.  From the ones reaching me at eye level to the youngest which were the babies dressed in full costume still in hand. The amount of children that I've seen however still troubles me.  Being that the carnival was held on a Saturday opposed to the Sunday, I expected to see more children on the 'road' but I'd say it was pretty much the same attendance as the previous years.  How do we as a people expect the culture to continue if we don't involve our children?  Children are curious.  They'd ask questions about the carnival and that's a perfect opportunity to teach the youth correctly.  Not have them believe that carnival is strictly pretty mas, wine, jam and alcohol.  They should learn from now starting with the kiddies carnival.  Smh, moving on.

My children enjoyed themselves to the max for their little carnival and although I wanted them to tell me how tired they were so we could leave and I could run to SEV3N, I stayed with them until they were content.  After all, it's their day and no one could get me off the road when I'm playing my mas. 

After driving home we quickly got ready for SEV3N.

SEV3N

Driving to SEV3N's venue was funny.  We thought the GPS was wrong because we got to a residential area, it was quiet and there were high beams used as street lights were almost nonexistent and I swear I expected Freddie Krueger to jump out those bushes.  The place was dark.  Perfect location for a Halloween fete. Once we got closer and saw the cars parked all how on the people grass, we agreed that we were at the right place and as we walked the sound of sweet soca music was the confirmation.

While walking, I remembered thinking that Jamdong locked a beautiful venue.  Unfortunately time was against me with the kiddies carnival and all so I got there roughly an hour before the party ended. For that time I basically mingled with some friends but from what I heard and videos I've seen, many people had a great time.  Florida - WFYG Bandits, rocked in that pool.  Wished more people took advantage of that pool cause I was dressed for it.  The set up of the speakers could have been done differently and caused a slight disconnect between the dj's and patrons but that is something for management to consider for next year if that's the venue for SEV3N 2017.  At the end of the day, what's done is done and gone already.  SEV3N is the event to jump start the Miami carnival season and has made it's mark, it can only get better from here.

Seeing as the Miami Broward Carnival Committee has posted their line up for the MiamiBroward Carnival already, we can see that the kiddies carnival will now and forever be on the same Saturday. I'm hoping that the time of SEV3N can be revisited as I will want to attend (and enjoy) the entire fete but my children are not only an obligation but a priority.  

All in all, my Saturday was great, I expect to repeat next year. 

As for SEV3N, I'm hoping to see a pool again and more people in it!

Next up, CinCinEntertainment's Bon Ami.  The alternate welcome to Miami fete!

KIDDIES CARNIVAL, THE AFTERMATH

So, the plan was to go to church then head into the kiddies carnival however, SEVEN went for a lot longer than expected and the body just couldn't do it. For my experience in SEVEN, click HERE. Although I appeared 'normal', I was limping on both feet from the madness the night before and disappointing the children was not an option so off we went.

Once inside the Broward Regional Park, I was in shock.  I want to believe I got there around 3pm.... maybe I just know it was late.  The general children didn't begin lining up because the Kings and Queens of the Junior bands were 'competing' along with the Individuals.  The children still 'hanging out' around the park/the possible late start isn't what shocked me cause after all, we're on Caribbean time.  What shocked me was how empty the park was. The stands are never normally full to capacity or anything but it tends to have more people than there were on that day.  It puzzled me.

 

Michael Masser and Linda Creed wrote a song called "The Greatest Love of All" originally sung by George Benson and repopulated by the late Whitney Houston.  The song was so important because children are our future and it seems as though in the year 2015 people still don't get it!  We as Caribbean people need to understand that the culture can not live on if it is not taught by us to be embraced by our youth.  Passing down our culture from generation to generation is how it will be preserved.  Just as we teach our children how to cook, clean, read and write we need to teach them about our culture, their culture.  Not only the bacchanal within the mas but what goes on behind it and where it came from.  If children aren't learning about the origin the interest will be eternally lost. Where were all the parents, grandparents, godparents, aunties, uncles and nenen's on October 4th for the Junior/Kiddies Carnival?  Who's explaining to these children what a Moko Jumbie is?  Do they know the origin of the steel pan or who created it?  The Dimanche Gras?  Are they aware of sweet caiso music?  Do they even know that there is a Kings and Queens competition for children as well as adults for the carnival?  Do they know that all of it is actually a competition? Do the children of these times only associate carnival and mas with wining up to the latest soca music and drinking excessively? What are we as responsible adults handing them down?  Who are we leaving our extremely rich culture to? Then we get mad when John Public don't understand our precious culture.. Pretty soon we as a people won't understand it either!

 

 

Next point.  Yes, there's more.  I find it to be crazy how good friends become enemies for each carnival season and then make back up when the carnival is done.  Has no one heard of friendly competition?  If South Florida has such a small Caribbean community, it's evident that everyone WILL know everyone.  It is not at all possible to pass through a band and NOT know anyone.  Now with that being said, we all have children.  We teach these children to not get into big people business but then you go to a kiddies carnival to tote feelings?  While sitting in the grass across the stage, I heard parents refusing.  R-E-F-U-S-I-N-G to give CHILDREN a round of applause for their efforts.  WHAT?  HOW IN THE ENTIRE PHUCK allyuh in the stands will NOT GIVE CHILDREN A ROUND OF APPLAUSE? How allyuh could sit down an feel good about yourselves?  You know DCARNIVALBABY does get misquoted so let me say this.  It wasn't everyone but by the sounds of it, the majority of the stands did not clap for the children.  Whether it was because people weren't paying attention or not, you clap for children whether they did well or not.  I sat on the grass believing I was hearing wrong then heard Giselle (The Wassi One) almost begging the crowd to please give the children a round of applause.  I have muzzled my thoughts and feelings for quite some time which is partly why these blogs are coming so slow but big people, allyuh failing the youths in more ways than one eh! It was a sad sight to see how the kiddies mas bands dwindled yet we had TWENTY JOUVERT BANDS IN THE SAME PARK ONLY 6 DAYS LATER!!!

Doh worry, the blogs comin because I have to express my sentiments on THAT TOO! Bless!

WASSI BABES PRESENT DARE

This is typical Giselle.  Giselle, The Wassi One has taken to heart the events that happened in Stanford, Florida.  Wassi Ones has presented DARE which has more inner inspiration on being a better YOU. Wassi Babes however has taken a different approach than that of the adults. . . .  The children have a tribute to Treyvon Martin.  

(DARE TO STOP PROFILING)

This section is the section for boys.  Little boys in this section will have a clear understanding of how and what happened in Sanford, Florida and how things like this should NEVER happen.  No matter what you decide to wear or how you wear it, there is no excuse for the violence exhibited and this hoodied costume is Wassi Babes' tribute to Treyvon Martin.  Along with this hoodie, the boys will get standards with Skittles attached to it.  

(dare to hope)

(dare to be different)

(dare to be happy)

Children have every right to feel HAPPY, comfortable enought to be DIFFERENT, should never lose HOPE and most of all, be able to leave their homes with never knowing the feeling of being being PROFILED.  Whether they're being profiled because of race, gender, sexual orientation or looks.  No child should feel unsafe, for any reason.  As adults we have a LOT to do.

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KIDDIES CARNIVAL EXPERIENCE!!

It's a wonder that I even made it out the bed to write this blog entry this morning. For some reason, it is more tiring (for me) after kiddies carnival than it is for me with the 'big people' carnival.  I guess it's because not only are you attending to yourself but to your young ones and the young ones of people you know and don't know. For kiddies carnival, all the children are yours and watching all those kids, can be tiring.  With that being said, here we go...

I WENT TO CHURCH!!!! *sticks tongue out. I got the word that the park was still empty at 12:30pm so I was good with that.  We had time to get home from church, without hustling to eat, change clothes, eat, relax a little an eat some more lol. In all honesty, we took our time because we live about 5 minutes away from the Broward Regional Park and sitting in the sun watching the tumbleweeds is not my cup of tea. We got there around 2, 2:30ish. Parking wasn't bad, especially since this is South Florida and you can basically park anywhere that you see grass within the park. Entry to the park was $1.50 PER PERSON then to get into the actual event was $5.00 a person, excluding the masqueraders. The 'show' began a little after I arranged my grandmothers seating. I would say somewhere around 3.

As usual the individuals crossed the 'stage' first and this year, that took forever and a day! Not only because the committee/judges were going slow (because that's what it usually is) but because that's just how many individuals it had. I'm LOVING the fact that no matter WHERE you're from, everyone can get together to celebrate the 'kiddies' carnival.

I was very impressed with the childrens costumes as they were NOT mini replicas of what the adults have on the road.  They were all designed with children in mind. *Thanking God that the true essence of kiddies mas hasn't been lost. *In South Florida anyway.

I just went through the crowd snapping pictures of random children (some adults) so I couldn't really tell you which children belonged to what band. I had both my younger boys with me, the hubby, the mommy AND then grandmommy *that refuses to be left out.

It was a busy day, the sun was hot and I must give kudos to the parents, children and ALL involved as this event went by very smooth. No conflict, no strife, no fights and no casualties. GREAT JOB!!! Let's just hope the Jouvert and the big people carnival goes by just as smooth. EVEN SANTANA had behavior! *well sort of, the man bend me over like Janice wouldn't eventually find out what he was carryin on with inside of Wassi Babes band. Shout out to Trini Mafia for helping Santana get through with his greencard. Lord knows he wanted to make it out of Trinidad an wine up in the Miami Carnival next week LOL

Miami says sorry kids, no carnival for you......

Good day all!

This blog entry was way long overdue but it just didn't feel like the right time. Truthfully NEVER seemed to be like the best time to me in posting this but with New York's kiddies carnival coming up early Saturday morning and Miami-Broward carnival coming up in October, I guess now is a good a time as any.

It has been decided that there will be NO KIDDIES CARNIVAL for the Miami-Broward One Carnival this year. There will be no miniature sailors, butterflies, anything. I don't know what's more of a shame that they have decided to cancel it or cancelling so late in the game. August is hardly the right time to announce the cancellation of the kiddies carnival. There are bands that measure, make totally pay and prepare for these things annually and exactly TWO months before the actual event is just bad for business.

What what I'm understanding the reason for the cancellation is because of lack of funding. The association is broke! (Like everyone is isn't) Don't get me wrong, but if you are completely broke in August you were at least going broke or foreseeing insufficient since ummmmmmmm February/March?!?!? Okay, I give it til at least June. At-in-all whether February/March, it would have been enough time to better prepare these carnival bands for this blowout that they were only given in August.

What's going to happen with all monies spent?

Will the bands form together and organize something for themselves?

When will the apologies come and to whom?

I really don't know the answers to any of those questions but what I do know is that children ARE our future and being more educated about the future comes along knowledge of your heritage and culture. Most of knowing where you are going, is knowing where you have come from. We need to ensure that the children stick with this. Cancelling the kiddies carnival is only showing me that THIS TOO will be lost, just like the true meanings of things like jouvert, moko jumbie and tamboolay. SMH at how the stories and history of the Caribbean are going to be forgotten.