Jamaica Carnival 2023. The current state of affairs.
Carnival in Jamaica 2023 is April 16th november and December is band launch season.
This year we have seena flurry of activity and many new developments. Here is a summary of what we have so far.
XODUS
Bacchanal Jamaica, the islands oldest and original mas band has partnered with Xodus, Jamaica’s biggest band, to better allow both to provide a seamless experience to all their masqueraders.
Xodus itself is affiliated to some degree with Yuma from Trinidad to the best of my knowledge.
Look forward to a large band on the road with a good lunch spot (especially if you pick the Envy sections) and lots of uptown Jamaica in attendance.
They have already launched and all their costumes and prices can be found here!
GENXS JAMAICA
This band is totally new on the Jamaican carnival landscape. A product of partnerships between several Jamaicans and the Genx mas band from Miami (itself owned by Jamaicans) GENXS aims to bring that authentic carnival chaser experience back to the road while keeping the Jamaican twist that keeps Jamaica’s carnival product unique.
Look out for this band to be full of international carnival chasers and Jamaicans from the diaspora as well as our local true soca lovers. This band is where I personally plan to be on the road for 2023.
My info is that they will include:
Breakfast, lunch AND dinner.
Premium alcohol.
The best DJs.
A “memorable” lunch spot and many other perks.
Look out for the GENXS band launch on Monday Dec 19th!
Yardmas
Also new on the scene for 2023 is Yardmas. This endeavour is founded via a partnership between the I love soca, fete republic and broadtail brands as well as Culture shock and Zarmak ltd.
This year Yardmas partners with Xaymaca International with the latter having a section. This is important in that Xaymaca masqueraders from can now be credited any money paid in 2020 towards a costume In Yardmas 2023.
At this point little is known about the target market and outlook for yardmas. We do know that they launch sometime in January and we look forward to that with baited breath.
