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Get ready to party because the St. Lucia carnival was confirmed! After two years of hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the biggest and most expected event in St. Lucia is back!
Saint Lucia’s 2022 Carnival is scheduled to start on 7th of July and will go until 19 of July, in Castries – the capital of the island – with many public and private events for the partygoers to enjoy.
The Lucian Mas, as the carnival is fondly called, is a unique celebration on the island. It’s a mix of St. Lucia’s rich culture and heritage which mixes the catholic, Caribbean and African culture present in the country. The celebrations are full of happiness, colours, music and dancing, creating a unique and unforgettable experience for those who participate.
The carnival will hold many important and cultural celebrations such as the Carnival Queen, Soca Monarch, Calypso Monarch, Panorama, the parades, and, of course, many other private celebrations that, according to the Minister for Creative Industries and Culture, Ernest Hilaire, some of those events were already sold out with months prior to the carnival. But Hilaire assured that the national events, such as the Panorama, Calypso and Soca Monarchs, King and Queen of the Band and the Queen Show will be the key focus of the carnival.
The Minister also stated that “[…] it is critical that we continue to build on the hard work that was started by persons who have brought carnival to where it is now. We must also ensure that we preserve the public health of Saint Lucia while creating economic activity for our people to benefit from.”
Hilaire complemented, stating the importance of the Carnival for the tourism and for the people who work in the creative industries as a mean to show their talents.
The website loop news, citing Hilaire, said that the event was previously thought to be a vaccinated event, in a controlled and rigid environment, but the conditions are changing and the final condition of the carnival is still to be defined.
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COVID-19 Restrictions at St. Lucia Carnival
In this pandemic’s times, it’s wise to check the COVID-19 restrictions, but worry not! We got your back.
If you’re fully vaccinated – that is, if you have taken both shots and two weeks has passed since the last shot -, you won’t need a test or spent some time in your apartment doing the quarantine, because – at least in St. Lucia – those restrictions are no longer applicable to you! But, if you haven’t taken your vaccines, you’ll have to spend some of your Carnival money on a standard COVID-19 PCR test, and it has to be done within 5 days prior to arrival.
One thing that both vaccinated and unvaccinated travellers have to do is the Health Screening Form. It has to be printed, and completed before your arrival in Saint Lucia. If you want to know more about the restrictions, check our updated article.
Now that you read some news about the Carnival, how about you check below for the main public events?
Carnival Queen
The Carnival will open with the Carnival Queen show, where the eight beautiful contestants will compete for the title of Carnival queen, on the 7th of July.
The winner of the event, or the queen of the Carnival, will represent St. Lucia in the Regional pageants. Even though the event is confirmed, its place is still to be defined.
Soca Monarch and Calypso Monarch
The second day event will be the Soca Monarch. In this event, a jury will decide the best Soca songs and will crown the artist as the Soca Monarch. In the following day, the Calypso Monarch will also be decided. The fans of the political, humoured and full of social issues rhythm, Calypso will be able to enjoy the songs and see which artist gets the title of Monarch.
The winners of the events will receive a small prize the prestige of being the monarch, and the love of the people, which may be the most important prize.
Panorama Competition
This is one of the most traditional competitions in St. Lucia’s Carnival. This costume almost came to an end when the influence of the pan was declining, but thanks to individuals, such as Gregory “Shining” Emmanuel, this tradition was kept alive and became one of the main attractions for the Lucian Mas.
The Parades
The parades occur during the last two days, they, such as many Caribbean Carnivals, are events full of colours, music, passion, and life.
People take the street dressed in costumes full of colours to enjoy live bands, DJs, giving the streets of Castries a unique touch.
So, now you know a little about the carnival in St. Lucia, what are you waiting to book your flights? And, just in case you need some gear, take a look at our shop.
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