DC Caribbean Carnival

I know I said I was only doing 3 carnivals in 2016 and according to my trusty Excel Travel Spreadsheet that # has doubled, but I don’t know if DC Carnival Weekend really counts as a carnival.  So Confused!!! 

I haven’t been to DC Carnival since 2011 which happens to be the last time they had a road march (parade).  The road march discontinued apparently because of funding issues and debts owed to the city for police services.  Word on the sKReet is that the parade will return to DC in 2017. I know there has been speculation about the road march returning in previous years, but people seemed to be sure that it would definitely be returning in 2017.  We shall see.  So here is my run-down on the fetes of the non-carnival, carnival weekend. 




There were so many events going on all weekend, not bad for a carnival weekend with no carnival.  I landed early Friday afternoon and headed to Hookie Pool Party (www.hookielife.com).  Hookie would be the DC version of Scorch _uckWork.  Caribbeans love any excuse to skip work and fete.  Like I said I haven’t been to DC carnival since 2011, back then Hookie was held a hotel and utilized its pool.  To accommodate more people this year they moved it to RFK stadium  and had a huge above ground pool. 
Maybe I’m just paranoid, but for various reasons I just didn’t trust the pool so I opted to fete by the stage.  I had a great time in the dry zone, but I can see how some who are used to the hotel pool vybz could by vexed by the location change. I suppose sometimes as a promoter instead of trying to accommodate more people, you just gotta UP the costs each year to keep the vybz in tack. In this case as an attendee you either gotta suck it up or keep yuh rass at home.  

Our carnival bodyguards were in the building.  Regardless of what country we're fete'n in they got our backs
There were some fetes going on Friday nite, but we took our old asses home and rested up for Lions Pride Jouvert (www.hookielife.com) in the morning. 

Jouvert is LIFE, especially one which has a truck and route vs a fixed location.  I wasn’t properly briefed on the alcohol situation, I thought they would be selling alcohol out there so I only came with a small amount.  The veterans who knew there would be no alcohol sales were very generous with their libations and I was able to quench my thirst the entire time.  If I had my own liquor I probably woulda got tore up from the floor up, so it’s probably a good thing that I was relying on the generosity of strangers (more like friends of friends). 
Because we were so rested from the night before & didn’t get WASTED at jouvert, we headed to the Guinness Lime & Day Party (http://dccarnival.com) Saturday afternoon.  I want to note that it was hot as *BEEP* out there.  We were lucky enough to score a covered spot that had two industrial size fans blowing, our own likkle VIP. 
Mr. Third Bass decided to fete with us
Uber ride there & back : B4 & after #FanLife
Saturday night we headed to XEN Live Concert (http://dccarnival.com) where King Bubba and Third Bass were performing.  Before leaving the house we decided to play this stupid drinking game called, “Let’s take shots until the Uber Driver arrives.” So we walked in the fete already feeling NIIIIIIIIICE! I even committed a cardinal sin of knocking over and wasting my drink in the spot.  Le Sigh!   It was a nice venue and we had a blast.  Third Bass came over to fete with us again and we partied till the lights came on at 3am. 

A friend of ours went to an All White Party Saturday night worth mentioning called “Richards” (www.richardscarnival.com) judging from the photos, it looked like nice upscale vybz.  Might have to check in out next time I’m in town for carnival. 


Sunday afternoon it was off to the A.M.Nesia Boat Cruise (http://dccarnival.com).  This fete came with a steep $90 price tag because was all inclusive.  The food was delicious, the bars were plentiful, the DJs were amazing, but it we could have used an extra hour or two.  1pm-4pm just wasn’t enough time to get $90 worth of wotless.

DJ Crown Prince
Straight from the boat ride we headed to the Cool Down Party (http://dccarnival.com). *WAIT*  I lied, we stopped by the house to have some drinks after leaving the All Inclusive fete and before heading to the bar. It’s important to drink after and before you drink...


 Anyway, I must note that the Cool Down Party was held on the 4th floor of a venue with NO elevator and you best believe I CUSSED the entire time up.  Luckily my homie Winston was waiting on the top with drinks for us. 
He drinks and knows things! 

Chill vybz at Cool Down Party although I hear it got much crazier later in the evening, but I had to take my rass home and go back to doing what I do best, “Drink and be Merry!”



All in all, I had a blast! Shout out to my homie Charmaine for hosting us.  Very cost friendly carnival / non carnival weekend.  DC has 3 airports all with public transit, so it's usually a fairly affordable city to fly into.  PS: The page below is worth mentioning if you find yourself heading to DC and are looking for fete info.

Oh and shout out to this young man who was seated next to me on the return flight. He said he reads my carnival blogs.  *MIND BLOWN*  I told him I pretty sure that I'm usually talking to myself (not that I mind talking to myself). I officially have 1 reader *whoop whoop*

Atlanta Caribbean Carnival 2016








In a previous post I told you guys that my homie LingyWasHere.com and I were asked to help design costumes for a new band.  We ended up playing a much greater role in the band than we originally anticipated and had to recruit our friends and family to help us bring our vision to life.  My apartment got converted into a mas camp and even my elusive teen helped make costumes. This carnival was a labor of love and in the end everyone seemed very pleased with the final costume turnout.  Our initial goal was to create a small band with cute, yet affordable costumes and we did just that. 

Flags from around the globe were waiving high throughout our band as our masqueraders proudly rep’d their country while displaying their love of carnival. Very beautiful sight indeed!!   


One of our masqueraders was apparently on special release from the Federal Penitentiary and had Dekalb Police Dept tailing her. Reminds me of a scene from the Blues Brothers.

Passing the love of carnival on to the kiddies
Our homies in Madd Colors
Miss Panyarders
PXPfest Ladies
Alcohol infused icecream



It was a blazing hot day, it was seriously like 251 degrees (no lie).  Everyone was hot & tiyad!!!  We may need to petition for air mist stations next year. 
Here I was thinking that I have checked Mas Band Costume Designer off my Bucket List so maybe Memorial Weekend 2017 I can head outta town or go back to just being a masquerader for another band, but some of the crew is crazy enough to think that we should do our own band again.  Who knows what 2017 shall hold, I don’t even know what I want to eat for dinner tonight.

Special thanks to everyone who decided to ride this crazy carnival ride with us this year.  We love you from the bottom of our hearts *MUAH*  I leave you with a recap video!