Enjoyable parade at Victoria Square

Large, medium, and small mas bands paraded through the judging point at Victoria Square on Carnival Tuesday. The costumes ranged from the simple and stunning to the elaborate and gaudy.

One of the most visually stunning bands of the day was Peter Minshall's Mas Pieta, with a line of Moko Jumbies in dazzling white who waved their bird-like costumes and danced as masqueraders in over 40 sections in all colours of the rainbow swept past the judges. The costumes featured Minshall's well-known articulated bird wing, first seen in his 1974 creation, Land of the Hummingbird, which allows the masqueraders to portray the movements of a bird's wing, creating great arcs and swoops of colour and movement that are outstandingly beautiful.

Many of the larger bands used Road March favourite, Stage Gone Bad, to cross the stage. The band Hart's Carnival crossed the stage in a sparkle of beads, feathers and glitter, as masqueraders moved past the judges in a mixed mass with no clear sections. Their stage music was a combination of Stage Gone Bad, Conch Shell and Dear Promoter.

Belmont Exotic Stylish Sailors' presentation, Oh Tune Boy – Tribute to Memorable Tunes, featured Atlantik's 2006 hit, Ship Ahoy/All Aboard, as the individuals of the band paraded across the judging area. Many of the individuals incorporated headpieces featuring ships and other nautical themes as part of their sailor costumes.

Winning Panorama band Desperadoes entertained spectators with their winning piece as their Soaka Street Party passed in front of the judges. Tribal Connection Cultural Promotion's Fancy Indian mas band presented Pow Wow Festival, with exquisitely crafted costumes.

The midnight robber small band Mystery Raiders, designed by John Stollmeyer, portrayed the mas Eco Home. In his midnight robber speech, Stollmeyer spoke of being an entity that would destroy the earth for its own evil devices, and in the end gave his name as human.

NCC master of ceremonies Ken Simmons said the event started off exactly at 7 am, with ever-punctual Paparazzi Carnival crossing the stage in fine style.

"Throughout the day, we've seen the likes of Showtime as a large band, the First Citizen's Original Jab Jab, they did their thing, every year they're represented. As always, the spectators lined the streets with their chairs, then they have their coolers enjoying the festivities. The energy here at Victoria Square is very high, very pumped, normally people would think that Downtown or the Savannah would be the high energy venues, but Victoria Square is always a main attraction. We also had the legend Peter Minshall, who had been away for many years, came back with his presentation Mas Pieta, which was well received, and we're getting ready for some more bands passing through. We've had a very enjoyable day here at Victoria Square."