TEATT Minister Roger Lawrence
PHILIPSBURG--The return of Carnival after a two-year COIVD-19 hiatus is lauded by Minister of Tourism, Economic Affairs, Transport and Telecommunication (TEATT) Roger Lawrence, who said the event will be a significant boost to the island’s economy.
This year St. Maarten will become one of the first islands in the region to celebrate Carnival post-COVID-19. Visitors worldwide are already starting to arrive and will “Experience Life”, as the theme of this year’s Carnival celebrations suggests, Lawrence said in a press statement.
St. Maarten’s Carnival is the biggest and most popular event in the Northeastern Caribbean and has become one of the Caribbean’s most popular party stops, it was stated in the release.
The much-anticipated return of the Carnival celebration in St. Maarten has received a warm welcome from Lawrence. “This year’s event will attract thousands of participants worldwide, who will come to enjoy the best entertainment experience our destination has to offer,” he said. “Carnival is a celebration of our Caribbean culture blended with great music, high energy and a mixture of exciting foods and drinks from over 91 different cultures.”
This year revellers visiting the Island for the first time and those who have longed to return will come together from April 16 to May 3 and witness “our core St. Maarten cultural expression.”
Lawrence: “We are gearing up to put our talented local creatives on the world stage and show our visitors and friends a great time after being unable to host Carnival for two years. If you have been to St. Maarten for Carnival, you are familiar with the fascinating display of costumes, colours, dance and music that we have perfected over 51 years.”
He said the government of St. Maarten and St. Marten Carnival Development Foundation (SCDF) have planned and put a series of checks and safety measures geared toward keeping everyone safe while having fun during Carnival and beyond.
Carnival in St. Maarten generally consists of a mixture of music from around the world and locally, including calypso, soca, reggae, zouk and Latin music with local and international artistes performing at the Carnival Village.
Inside the “Festival Village”, as the centre of the Carnival events, there will be more than 50 vending stations flanking a large concert-style stage on the left and right, forming a large circle with an open viewing area in the middle. Revellers are already looking for their favourite costumes for the coveted Grand Parade celebration.
For those visiting the Island and attending Carnival for the first time, Lawrence encourages free-spirited fun and relaxation while on the Island.
The travel requirements, in general, have been updated and visitors are encouraged to fill in their electronic health authorisation system (EHAS) application when coming to St. Maarten. Information about the updated requirements can be found on the official website
