Tobago carnival group predicts more mas players this year

THE TOBAGO October Carnival Association (TOCA) believes there will be a larger number of masqueraders on the road for this year’s festival.

TOCA’s interim president Dexter Sandy said on Thursday the association’s band house, which was set up at the Shaw Park Cultural Complex over a two-week period, has had a positive impact on costume sales.

“I am seeing things shaping in a positive way, because from where we sit as bands, we created a venue where people were able to come and browse across a wide segment of bands and make a choice.

"So it really helped us to sell between 350 and 400 costumes as a group, which we may not have been able to sell individually at the different mas camps that we are from,” he told Newsday.

Arising out of that, he said, “There is a good indication that persons are buying costumes for J’Ouvert, night mas and parade of the bands, and that we should see a larger (number) of masqueraders on the road this year. That is the trending information that we have."

Saying members believe the island’s second October carnival will be successful, Sandy said the association’s records show so far, some 22 bands have registered for J’Ouvert and 14 for conventional mas. He added seven have signed up for night mas and 11 for traditional mas.