Carnival is love | Backstory
T&T Carnival is tradition and originality, ritual and rebellion, the sacred and the profane — and a million love stories. Here are three of them, from Attillah Springer, Amanda Choo Quan, and Georgia Popplewell
The Carnival photo I can’t forget | Portfolio
February brings T&T’s annual Carnival, and 2021 — with the physical festival cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic — is a year to reminisce about Carnivals past. We asked three photographers — Jason C. Audain, Maria Nunes, and Shaun Rambaran — to choose one favourite image from their respective Carnival archives, and tell us the story behind it. As it turns out, the photos they chose all had something in common
Carnival backstage | Closeup
Carnival is a time to shine: from performers on the soca and calypso stage to costumed masqueraders in the street and fete-goers showing off their most acrobatic dance moves. But “the greatest show on earth” wouldn’t be possible without the dedication of the many thousands who work behind the scenes — year-round or seasonally — on the organisation and logistics of the festival. Laura Dowrich-Phillips and Georgia Popplewell meet four of the people whose backstage efforts make Carnival happen
T&T Carnival | Did you even know
Our new trivia column opens with a T&T Carnival quiz. Think you’re an expert on Carnival and calypso history? See how many of our twelve questions you can answer correctly
Santiago — carnival city | Explore
Santiago, Cuba’s second-largest city, has long been a hotbed of culture — and it comes to a blaze each July, as Santiago’s unique annual Carnival, centred on the feast of St James the Apostle, takes over. Donna Yawching explains the historical roots of Santiago Carnival, and why it’s a time of year when no one expects to get much sleep
Every Trinidad Road March ever — and our top 10
Of the 80+ songs that have won the official Road March title at Trinidad Carnival, some are little remembered, some have become “back-in-times” favourites, and a few are considered landmarks — whether for their musical qualities or for trends they ushered in. Here are all the recorded Trinidad Carnival Road March winners from 1930 up to the present — and our picks for an all-time Road March top 10
Trinidad’s Road March | Backstory
Trinidad & Tobago’s Carnival is full of rivalries and competitions, and none is more fierce than the annual Road March battle. Mark Lyndersay traces the history of the musical title that reflects the will of masqueraders on the street — and we dare to share our picks for the top ten Road March songs from the 1930s to the present day
Trinidad & Tobago Road March Poll
Vote for your favourite Trinidad & Tobago Road March tune of all time in our mega-poll
