Wet weather, late starts hit Caribana 2026 as festival wraps

By Kisean Joseph

kisean.joseph@antiguaobserver.com

Rain delays, technical difficulties and competing events tested the resolve of Caribana 2026 organisers in Barbuda, but the festival’s public relations officer said the four-day celebration still delivered, and the lessons learned are already shaping next year’s plans.

Starr George, Public Relations Officer for Caribana, said Saturday night’s colour set was the single biggest challenge of the festival. A sudden downpour forced organisers to push the start time from 10 p.m. to midnight, thinning out a crowd that had been waiting outside in the elements.

“The rain came, and that really kind of put a damper on a lot of stuff,” George said. “People were waiting — they wanted to come in rain or shine — but they waited a bit too long to start the show, and that kind of put everyone in a damper, and people started to leave.”

George acknowledged that some patrons urged organisers to simply start the music and let the crowd follow. She said that approach eventually worked, with numbers recovering once the event got underway. The delay, she admitted, was a costly lesson in crowd management.

Technical problems also surfaced during the Senior Calypso and Soca Monarch competition on Friday night, with at least one performer battling microphone difficulties mid-performance. George said the artist pushed through professionally, and the night still delivered strong entertainment across both competitions.

Competing events on Thursday also drew audiences away from the Junior Calypso Monarch competition, a point George said organisers are taking seriously. She noted that the younger performers deserved fuller support from the public and urged promoters to work collectively rather than in competition with the official festival programme.

Despite those challenges, George recounted that the festival produced genuine highlights. Defending Junior Calypso Monarch Singing Samantha, trained by veterans Singing Julie and Queen Stabba, retained her title. On Friday, Singing Julie swept both the Senior Calypso and Soca Monarch crowns from a field of seven Soca contestants and four Calypso competitors. The Blue Denim set, featuring Nugen Band and Kaution Band, drew strong crowds on Friday night.

Looking ahead, George stressed that transparency and punctuality are the two commitments organisers are carrying into Caribana 2027.

“Starting more on time has always been a main issue,” she said. “Transparency and building trust with the public is everything.”

Caribana 2027 is scheduled to run from May 13th to May 17th.