Red Cross Kiddies Carnival launched

Children will experience the Joy of Mas next year at the Red Cross Kiddies Carnival.

In a press release on November 24, the TT Red Cross Society (TTRCS) announced that the event was launched and its 2024 theme is The Joy of Mas. It will be held on February 3 next year at the Queen’s Park Savannah from 11 am-6 pm.

Registration opens on December 1.

The release said, “In a celebration of youthful exuberance, the theme highlights the bliss and playfulness of what it means to be a child.”

It added, “The Red Cross Kiddies Carnival promises not only a vibrant parade but also an opportunity for families and communities to come together, celebrating the rich tapestry of Trinidad and Tobago’s cultural heritage.

“The TTRCS invites everyone to join in the festivities and witness the brilliance of designers, band leaders and future masqueraders that merges patriotism with the organisation’s mission to serve the most vulnerable in society.”

In 2021, not willing to completely forego celebrations because of covid19 restrictions, the society launched the V65 Emerging Designers Challenge.

It said an “alternate avenue of expression” was born out of that, which led to this year’s spectacular finale.

“This event was not just a cultural celebration but a physical manifestation of the capability of youth when allowed the space and tools to creatively express themselves.

“Hence, the Red Cross Kiddies Carnival 2024 parade will take an innovative turn by incorporating a captivating exhibition of the designs of the V65 Emerging Designers finalists, adding a dynamic and contemporary flair to the traditional festivities. This will mark the first time that the finalists of the emerging designers will display their life-size creations on the grand stage,” it said.

The release quoted the society’s president, Jill de Bourg, as saying the future of mas was in good hands, and the theme captured the essence of the joy, creativity and cultural pride that the young participants, designers and band leaders bring to Carnival.