Kalicharan Carnival attracts more foreign mas players

Kalicharan Carnival is seeing the strength in the growing number of new foreign-based masqueraders that registered to play mas with the band to date.

Bandleader Ayana Kalicharan-Mahase on January 15 confirmed that 25 new masqueraders had registered to play with the band's presentation titled Aroma.

Kalicharan Carnival has been producing mas in the large band category in San Fernando for over 30 years.

Kalicharan-Mahase said despite the implementation of the State of Emergency (SoE) declared on December 30 interest groups are still registering with the band.

“So far the SoE hasn’t caused any concerns, people who are coming from abroad, they still express their interest; they get their family members to pay down (on costumes) for them to ensure that they are booked. So far, it is not putting a dent in our market share. So we have 25 new foreigners, which is a big target for us with new masqueraders. Normally we have ten, and the 25 doesn’t include the ten who normally come, so we are happy for that.”

Apart from working to complete sections, Kalicharan-Mahase said the band is also focused on putting things in place to welcome first-year and standard-three students of the Grant Memorial Presbyterian School for a field trip.

She said the school which is also her father Ivan Kalicharan's alma mater, has registered to complete its field trip for tips on costuming and the school project on the icons of San Fernando.

“We hoping the that the stakeholders put things in place to ensure that the parade route in San Fernando is improved before Carnival Monday.”