Very First time

Are you a carnival Virgin or veteran:

I’m somewhere between virgin and vet

I grew up going to Eastern Parkway Labor Day parade in Brooklyn.

I played mass for the first time last year in Barbados and Bermuda was my second. Trinidad 2019 here I come!

What was your favorite carnival & why?

Barbados was my favorite! Our accommodations were right across from the beach and even though we came to fete and play mas, hitting the beach before activities gave it a real vacation feel! Barbados has great beaches! The distribution of music trucks, food and drink trucks plus footmen on the ground with recovery drinks was evenly distributed through the parade route.

How easy was it to get around?

This was the fourth year of Bermuda getting into the carnival mix. So there are a lot of things to work out regarding food and beverage distribution on carnival day, costume pick up and communication logistics which I believe with time they will get better with time. People are friendly and willing to accommodate visitors so even with a couple of carnival hiccups we felt the effort being made by organizers to help us. Bermuda is a relatively small island, so it was easy to get around. There is a rule in Bermuda that only allows one car per household; everyone else is permitted to have a motorbike. I arrived early pre hero’s weekend activities and stayed with a friend; we got around by motorbike. Once my crew came, we navigated by cabs. The one downside is that’s Bermuda is extremely expensive, so the cab rides averaged 40 dollars US.

Who did you play mas with?

I played mas with nova mas international they are affiliated with Aura experience who I played with in Barbados.

How many or big was the bands were there? There were five bands and three big bands! Machel Montano, played with my band! Epic.

Did it feel more foreign or local?

It felt local, but there were many foreigners in Bermuda celebrating hero’s weekend. Most of the DJ and party promoters were from Trinidad.

Would you go back?

I would not go back for carnival but I would be interested in the cup match experience which I heard is amazing!

Did you enjoy the variety of fetes?

Yes, I went to a variety of fetes ( Mai-tai, vale vibes, etc.) but the best one was Glow an all-white affair.

Any tips?

If you are planning to attend Bermuda heroes weekend, I would opt for an air b n b with cooking facilities to cut down on food cost ( the average price for fast food was 60 dollars for a group of 3) and hire a driver so that you can control your transportation expenses.