PHILIPSBURG--Just in its second year out, TropicaLife swept top prizes at the Junior Carnival Parade on Saturday. The group won Best Troupe, Best Float, Best Road Piece and Best Individual Piece.
Long-time group Survivors came in at second place. Troupes Mo Fantasy, Navy Cadets and a children’s troupe from the French side were also part of the parade. 
Trailers, bands and troupes started from John Cooper/Jose Lake Sr. Ballpark at 2:00pm and followed the same route the parade had taken in 2016: along Bush Road, over Prins Bernhard Bridge and along W.J.A. Nisbeth Road to end at the parking lot across from the Carnival Village.
TelCell’s Junior Parade was small, but featured colour galore and creative costumes that drew parade-lovers to the sides of the streets to see the youngsters dance and show off their costumes.
St. Maarten Carnival Development Foundation (SCDF) had shifted the Junior Carnival Parade from April 9 to April 8 because the Junior Parade originally had been scheduled for Palm Sunday.
SCDF coordinator Gina Illidge was happy with the parade and looks forward to the Grand Parade later this month.
