Carnival Chaser (n): An individual that goes on mostly carnival-based vacations, and plans trip after trip based on when the next carnival is.
Carnival is addictive. Meet Carnival Chaser @Brasai_
What is it about carnival that keeps you chasing?
The Carnival experience in itself is infectious and addicting, so the more memories and great times you create, the harder it becomes to let them pass you by! I personally love the euphoric and care-free feelings that come with Carnival. Not only is it truly a stress reliever, it gives me a different level of confidence that I haven’t gotten from anywhere else thus far. I definitely have the audience of people who don’t understand WHY I feel the way about Carnival and playing mas that I do. It’s something that I’ve grown up partaking in, so like other habits – it’s tough to break! With all of it, Carnival chasing keeps me physically at my best & healthiest, so there are additional benefits coming out of this expensive habit I have 🙂 With the increasing popularity of Carnival, I can’t even say that I see myself slowing down anytime soon. In my eyes, that’s a double whammy – travel opportunities to continue racking up passport stamps AND Carnival! How can you beat that?!
Which carnival is a must attend for you?
I’m going to have to be biased and say TRINIDAD! It’s the mecca for the true Carnival experience. The elements of Carnival are bigger and better in Trinidad. I also admire that this Carnival has the freedom to get creative and utilize resources, as other Carnivals might have more restrictions and limits in certain aspects. People need to really understand that the pump is REAL in Trinidad. I’d hate for people to plan this full itinerary and go too hard too soon and end up “poppin’ dung”!
So with that being said, I always advise newbies to attend Miami Carnival first, it’s like a rite of passage. I believe if people can master the constant pump that’s packed into a few days AND a longer parade route than most Carnivals, then they can easily grow into a true Carnival Chaser! I find it’s a great start to have an amazing time while spending less than other major Carnivals.
What are the “must have” items for you when choosing your band?
I look at a few things when deciding on a band, but I’ll go with top 3 for now (in no particular order).
- How a band markets themselves matters to me. That can include engagement with new and old masqueraders, social media activity, CUSTOMER SERVICE, reputation, credibility, etc. I love a band that exudes professionalism, but knows when to be personable and fun too! With all of it, Carnival is a business, so I’d like to make sure I’m getting value for the coins I’m putting into your band.
- Vibes on the road are a huge factor, of course! There’s nothing worse than seeing a band pass by and the masqueraders look bored. That’s not what we came for and if it were me in that predicament, I’d be running to storm the VIBESY bands! Please note that vibes can come from the band (music selection, DJ/mic men), but it can be affected by your crew too!
- Costume design/quality is my other requirement when selecting a band. My confidence boost is derived from the costume feeling like it was a God-given design for ME & only ME! Haha. I need that feeling of falling in love with my costume every time! Strangely enough, with every Carnival, I have a theme or “mood” in mind, so that will factor into if I go above and beyond for the largest set of wings to hit people as I pass by or if I want nothing touching me except a sexy monokini to free up on the road in!
Photograhpy Credit: TriniJungle Juice Which carnival (that you have not tried yet) would you love to attend?
I’d love to see how the culture and music is being accepted overseas. I always feel a tingly feeling inside when people who are open-minded and aren’t familiar with Carnival fall in love with the culture and music! I’d have to say I’d like to attend Notting Hill Carnival in England. I’ve never been to England, so it falls into that double whammy category of another passport stamp combined with Carnival!
Love it! Same here, definitely Trinidad 2019! I agree T&T is the mecca of Carnival. My goal is to make it to at least 3-5 carnivals a year. This year I’m pushing for at minimum two, but so open to more! Keep the Carnival Chaser posts coming…
Retweet everything. Keep ‘em coming!
I have been to a few carnivals around the world and carnival in Trinidad is the craziest. But, not the prettiest. They still have a lot of work to do.