The official schedule for St. Maarten 2008 Carnival Season
PHILIPSBURG–The official schedule for St. Maarten 2008 Carnival Season is set and flyers have been prepared for distribution to the public.
The first activity for this year’s Carnival under the theme “Let’s Make It Great” will be the Junior Queen Pageant, Junior Calypso and Junior Road March Competition at Celebration Palace on Bush Road, Sunday, April 6, starting at 4:00pm.
To officially open the gates to the Carnival Village, otherwise known as the Festival Village, the annual opening jump-up will be on Thursday, April 17, starting at 8:00pm. The first local show in the Festival Village will be the From Us 2 U III: King of Kings Competition on Friday, April 18, starting at 8:00pm.
R&B will meet Soca at the Festival Village on Saturday, April 19, when US R&B singer Keisha Cole along with headliners Destra and Ziggy Rankins hit the stage during the first international concert on the agenda. The show will start at 9:00pm.
St. Maarten’s youth will fill the streets of Philipsburg during the Junior Carnival Parade scheduled for Sunday, April 20, starting at 2:00pm. The Senior Calypso Eliminations will follow the next day Monday, April 21, starting at 9:00pm.
Hott Reggae Vybes, the second international concert on the agenda, will feature Tarrus Riley, Tessanne, Demarco and several others and will take place on Tuesday, April 22, starting at 9:00pm. The annual Youth Extravaganza will be hosted on Wednesday, April 23, starting at 9:00pm. The PJD2 Caribbean Beauty Pageant will take place on Thursday, April 24, starting at 8:00pm.
The Senior Road-march Competition with guest appearances by Bomani, Small Axe, Assylum, Bunji Garlin and Fay Ann Lyons will be hosted on Friday, April 25, starting at 8:00pm. This event will flow right into the annual Jouvert Morning jump-up on Saturday, April 26, starting at 4:00am. The night event on this same day will be a Zouk/Kompa Concert, the third international concert featuring Tabou Combo, Patrick Elol and more and will commence at 9:00pm.
The Senior Calypso Finals with guest appearances by King Arrow and Mighty Sparrow is scheduled for Sunday, April 27, starting at 9:00pm. The fourth international concert will be a Latin concert featuring Las Chicas del Can and others on Monday, April 28, at 8:00pm.
The Grand Carnival parade is scheduled for Tuesday, April 29, starting at 10:00am and the second parade day will be the next day Wednesday, April 30, starting at 2:00pm. The fifth international concert Caribbean Soca Explosion II will follow on Thursday, May 1, starting at 8:00pm and will feature Alive Band, 4 M Band, El-A-Kru, Nu Vybes and 17 plus.
The sixth international and final concert on the agenda will be a Reggae concert featuring amongst others Jah Cure and Elephant Man and is scheduled for Friday, May 2, starting at 9:00pm. The 2008 Carnival season will come to an end with a closing jump-up on Saturday, May 3, starting at 8:00pm and the burning of King Momo at 12:00 midnight.
