SCDF President Edwardo Radjouki competing in the King and Queen of the Band Competition in 1997 as part of Diane Velasquez troupe.
PHILIPSBURG--President of the St. Maarten Carnival Development Foundation (SCDF) Edwardo Radjouki is keeping to his word of bringing back cultural aspects of Carnival that for various reasons had fallen dormant.
The SCDF on Thursday provided more information about its much-anticipated King and Queen of the Band Competition which was last held in the late 1990’s.
The event was a huge draw for Carnival as persons flocked from near and far to witness the massive costumes that troupe leaders and costume builders would display on stage. “King and Queen of the Band was a staple on the carnival calendar, and one of the greatest displays of creativity, revelry, and splendour for St. Maarten Carnival,” said Radjouki, himself a former winner of this competition multiple times.
The King, Queen and Individual costume contest is not just about larger-than-life costumes and colourful themes, but a larger-than-life cultural experience. To support this experience the SCDF has put together criteria for competitors that are clear across the board. Once a person registers, they will be emailed the criteria for the competition.
To register, persons need to email the SCDF at: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. complete with their contact information.
“It is the creativity and the wow factor that always did it for me. As someone who competed in this competition, just being on stage with a large costume and all eyes on the hard work the costume maker put into it, was really special. It is such a tribute to the talent we have on St. Maarten. We were determined to add this event back to Carnival and so far, we are happy with the response from the various troupes. But we would like to see more. We know we have talented designers out there, please sign up and let us make the event a grand spectacle again,” said Radjouki.
Competitors shall register in one category only from: Caribbean – Presentations/Portrayals highlighting the Historical, Present and Futuristic aspects of the Caribbean; Creative – Presentations/Portrayals arising from an imaginative thought or idea but based on a purely abstract theme; Creative Topical – Presentations/Portrayals arising from an imaginative thought or idea but based on a topic of current interest; Fantasy – Presentations/Portrayals depicting an actual subject or theme displayed in a fanciful or unbelievable manner but yet pleasing to the eye.
