Trinidad Carnival 2025
Women’s costume for the Rayana section of Tribe. Designed by Natalie Fonrose.
Sometime in 2023, a good friend of mine asked if I wanted to go to Trinidad Carnival in 2025. I was hesitant because it meant missing Mardi Gras and I was in the middle of paying off a hefty dental bill from getting all my wisdom teeth removed. I officially decided to go after attending the amazing Danny Brown & JPEGMAFIA concert (aka “Scaring The Hoes” tour). I had a few drinks in me and I was still hype from the show.
I mean, why not? Missing Mardi Gras shouldn’t be a big deal if I’m going to the “Greatest Show On Earth”. And I’ve been really good at budgeting things lately so putting together a plan should be easy.
Some terms to know:
Fete: Festival
Playing Mas: Dressing up in costume (as a masquerader) and participating in the carnival parade with a “band”.
Band: The group/crew/entity that you parade with. There’s a lot of bands that you can choose from and they each have their own experiences and costumes. We played with Tribe on this trip.
Chip/Chippin’: Essentially walking but you’re stepping to the beat of a song.
Maxi: Shuttle
Wine/Wining: Rhythmic waist and hip movement. Not to be confused with twerking.
On the Road: Partying out on the road.
All the logistical stuff (planning, costs, etc.) are at the end of the post if you want to skip to that.
Thursday, February 27
After spending Wednesday night in Ft. Lauderdale, it was time to head to Trinidad proper. The flight took about 3 and a half hours.
Flying over the Caribbean.
Touchdown
We landed in Trinidad at around 8PM. We arrived a bit early so customs didn’t take too long. As we make our way out of the airport, we were greeted by our concierge along with a welcoming party at the airport entrance.
We grabbed some KFC from inside the airport before heading to the Hyatt. After getting the card keys to our room, it was time to rest up for the first fete.
Side note: The hotel shower had a peculiar design. You can see out to the room from it. Fortunately, the glass pane is covered from the head down. It’s been documented here if you want to see for yourself: Peek-a-Boo Showers at Hyatt Regency Trinidad: Uncommon Attraction
Friday, February 28
Sunnation Sunrise
Friday morning was Sunnation Sunrise, a “breakfast” fete at St. Andrews Golf Club. Meeting time was at 4AM. When we were shuffling into the maxi, the driver blasts “PARDY” by Machel Montano, a song that I would become very familiar with, very fast.
Cheers
We arrived around 5:30AM. First order of business? Grab a glass of champagne. As for the food, I don’t remember what was served outside of the breakfast staples (bacon, eggs, bread). I do remember having some fish that was really delicious and spicy. If you wanted to play it safe, Pizza Hut and KFC was available.
The fete itself was like a typical music festival so nothing too out of the ordinary. I got to see Bunji Garlin perform so that was cool. I think we left around 11:30AM.
The KFC girls.
Sampling the mouthwash.
Poolside
The rest of the day was pretty quiet. I took a nap before meeting up with the others at the hotel pool. I hung out by the bar with a glass of mimosa while I edit some photos.
At around 7:00PM, we met with our concierge to pick up some things: Tribe costumes for Tuesday, Tribe goody bag, tickets/bracelets and some other required items for the upcoming fetes. (More on Tribe later)
Bake & Shark
There was a place outside of the hotel that we wanted to try but it was closed. The streets were eerily empty. I took this brief time to try to do some street photography. We ended up eating at the hotel restaurant where I tried a “Bake & Shark” for the first time. It was good but I wished I had some from a street vendor to form a proper opinion.
Saturday, March 1
AM Bush
We were up at around 3:00AM for Caesar’s Army AM Bush, a dirty/wet fete that involves getting covered in paint, powder, and foam. As such, I didn’t bring my camera and my phone was in a protective pouch most of the time so there aren’t a lot photos of all the action.
We were required to wear the AM Bush shirt. Women had the option to wear the monokini. If you wanted to drink, you had to have the Caesar’s Army branded cup. We were also given some goggles and a string backpack.
This all took place at Wallerfield International Raceway (the shirts were race way themed).
The fete actually started at 2:00AM but we didn’t get there until around 5:30AM. This was the first time I saw the “Big Trucks”. They’re pretty much 18-wheelers but with an array of speakers. There’s also the moving bars that follow the trucks.
The big trucks were blasting music and while a smaller pickup truck was blasting paint from a hose. They were also giving out bottles filled with paint if you wanted to get in on the action. I think we looped around the track about one and a half times (or more?) before the trucks finally parked at a designated spot where there was a big waterslide and a foam station. Bunji Garlin came out to perform some songs later on. I remember trying to get some Pizza Hut but they ran out when I got to the front of the line. Things started to wind down and it was time to go. It was a very unique experience. I enjoyed it despite taking awhile for me to get comfortable.
Bar on Wheels
I’m not really sure how to feel about the moving bar. It doesn’t really stop so if you wanted to get a drink, you have to walk alongside it as it moves. I kept looking down at my feet because I was worried that it’ll get rolled over by the wheels. Sure, it was moving really slow and there were spotters but that didn’t alleviate my anxiety.
Revelers dance on top of a truck. You can see a bit of the big water slide on the right.
The foam station.
Before.
After. Not too bad.
(Most of) The group at the end.
Soca Brainwash
We got back to the hotel around 11AM. After showering and a quick nap, we’re off to the next fete, Soca Brainwash. This year’s theme was Comic World. I slacked off on the costume so I just wore a Deadpool shirt that my friend had.
Right before we get on the maxi, our concierge hyped us up by playing “PARDY”.
Like Sunrise, this one was like music fest but with comic book themed decorations all around the festival grounds. The production was impressive. Especially the main stage area where there was a giant canopy made out of flags with artwork of various comics like Archie, Justice League, Black Panther, etc. It’s not as crazy as the stages I saw at TomorrowWorld (RIP) and EDC but it was still cool nonetheless. There were plenty of bars so lines were rare. There were two other stages that I completely forgot about.
Photo courtesy of Plan TNT.
Additional Soca Brainwash Coverage:
Some photos I took were featured in the Soualiga/Sint Maarten news. Check it out here: DJ Private Ryan Dominated Trinidad Carnival Saturday with an Epic Edition of ‘Soca Brainwash’
The Avenue
Still not ready to end the night, we decided to do some bar hopping on Ariapita Avenue aka “The Avenue”. The street was filled with bars, clubs, and restaurants. Nothing too flashy but it was crowded.
As we were walking out of one of the bars, “PARDY” starts playing and of course, we stop to dance.
Before heading back to the hotel, one of us got some “doubles” (popular street food in Trinidad) from a vendor. We took it back to the hotel and it was the best thing I ever ate the entire weekend. Sloppy but delicious and spicy.
Sunday, March 2
Sunday morning was Vale Vibe, another breakfast fete but a few of us (including myself) sat this one out and slept in.
Our original plan didn’t pan out so we just took the hotel shuttle around as the hotel concierge gave us history lessons at the various stops.
We grabbed lunch at a Jamaican joint before heading back.
National Academy for the Performing Arts building.
Jean Pierre Sports Complex. We will cross here later. You can sort of see the platform in the middle there.
Later in the evening, the entire group got together for a special dinner/birthday party. We got back to the hotel pretty late but we tried to get some rest before the craziness of the next two days.
Monday, March 3
J’ouvert
Monday morning was Red Ants J’ouvert. I don’t think I actually slept but at this point, I had to power through.
We were required to wear the Red Ants vest with the optional “fire” wig. We also got a Red Ants cup and sunglasses. This experience was similar to AM Bush but way more gnarly with the inclusion of mud.
We arrived at the meeting point at around 3AM. There were a lot of people packed tight along the narrow streets. It was made even narrower with the trucks moving with the crowd. At the end of the route, we were all corralled into the outer parameter of the Hasley Crawford Stadium then guided to the Jean Pierre Sports Complex to “cross the stage” (See map below).
Spotted a blue devil right before crossing the stage.
Crossing the Stage
Crossing the stage doesn’t sound that exciting. You’re dancing across a platform while the trucks are moving beside it and the DJs are playing the songs you should be familiar with by now. It’s really one of those things where you have to be there to understand the hype.
When we got back to the hotel, I noticed the main gate was closed. Turns out the hotel didn’t want us to go through the main entrance because we were still covered in paint and mud. Way more than we were after AM Bush. Instead, we were dropped off to the side at a section of the hotel where they had shower stalls installed. After I was done showering, the hotel staff handed me a bathrobe and slippers. I threw away everything except my underwear.
“Do you know Wong Fei Hung?”
As I was walked to the main hotel entrance, I had a interaction with a man that threw me off a bit. He asked, “Do you know Wong Fei Hung?”. He even did the pose (see picture). Growing up watching Asian films, of course I knew. At least the Jet Li depiction of him. The conversation didn’t go anywhere after that.
I did not expect anyone to ask me that question let alone know who Wong Fei Hung is. Anyway…
On the Road with Tribe
When I finally got back to the room, I took another shower to scrub off any paint I missed. I believe I tried to take another nap. Then it was time to hit the road with Tribe, one of the biggest Carnival bands in Trinidad. This is more or less a rehearsal for Tuesday.
The band’s website said that “MALE masqueraders MUST wear official TRIBE shorts together with ID wristband at ALL times on both days.” Due to the reversible nature of the shorts, we collectively decided we shouldn’t wear them since we’d have to wear them again the next day and we didn’t have access to washing machines.
All the guys in the group coordinated by wearing black “BADMAN” tank tops, a reference to the pink shirt Vegeta wore in Dragonball Z.
We were a bit late (par for the course at this point) so we had to take a few shortcuts to meet up with the trucks. We made it just in time to cross the Queen’s Park Savannah stage. This is a different stage from the one we crossed earlier during j’ouvert.
Security blocking off the stage until it was time for us to cross.
“PARDY” played as we rushed to the stage. Just like the first time, everyone is just going wild. A stranger put his arm over my shoulder and started to dance with me. The DJ plays “Carry It” as we continued to cross. Then it was time to hit up the lunch area.
As we’re entering the lunch area, a group of Asian dudes called me out and said they were Filipinos too. I told them I’m actually Vietnamese and one of the guys said that’s OK and pointed out that one of them is also half-Vietnamese. I’m pretty sure they confused my New Orleans flag for the Philippines flag. An unexpected encounter since I jokingly been asking where were all the Asians all weekend.
After lunch, it's time for us to finally hit the road. It was pretty chill and I was really digging the vibes. Drinks were flowing and people were chipping in unison. Just a big party moving through parts the city. In retrospect, this might be the best part of the week for me. The (relatively) casual nature of it was a big reason.
It was around the evening time when I began to feel like I’m about to hit a wall. The pickles we packed for this trip helped but we decided to get some roti since there was a vendor was right next to us. It was delicious of course.
We head back to the hotel around 7:30PM. We had a few free drink tickets left so we hung out at the hotel waterfront to drink a bit more before ending the night.
Tuesday, March 4
Carnival Tuesday
We started to get ready early in the morning but stopped midway to get breakfast. I didn’t get the fancy men’s costume so it took me almost no time to get ready. It was just basically a tank top, shorts, and a headpiece that I didn’t wear. Instead, I opted to wear the Tribe hat along with the Tribe socks.
After taking some photos at the hotel, it was time to head back out on the road. Since we were kind of late (of course) we had cut through a neighborhood to link up with the trucks.
After a bit of walking, we ended back up at the Hasley Crawford Stadium to cross the stage at Jean Pierre Sports Complex (again). Here, we got a chance to see all the amazing costumes. My favorite were the frontline costumes from the Rayana section (see the hero image at the top of the post).
The “Sip N’ Chip” Bar
Liquor/soda dispensers that you can just walk up to and help yourself. Super cool. I couldn’t figure out how to work it at first. The trick is when you press your cup in, you also have to push your cup up to finally get the dispenser to work.
Tribe is a very huge band. It is broken into 6 clusters (each with their own DJs) that are further broken into 2-4 sections and each section has their own set of costumes. Then there are different tiers of costumes from “frontline” to “backline”. I was in the Laila section (cluster 5) along with a few others in our group. Each section gets their time to cross the stage. And of course, “PARDY” played when it was our section’s turn to cross.
After crossing the stage and a bit more parading, we’re back in the lunch area. I think we were there for about 2 hours before heading back out on the road. This was the final stretch of the day.
I think this is where we were trying to get back with the band after lunch.
Where are all the Asians? All along this wall apparently.
“Hands in the Air, Now”
The route ends at Queen’s Park Savannah. This was last time crossing the stage. It was bittersweet.
For the sake of keeping count, we crossed the stage at Jean Pierre Sports Complex twice:
Monday morning during J’ouvert.
Tuesday afternoon with Tribe.
We crossed the stage at Queen’s Park Savannah twice:
Monday afternoon with Tribe
Tuesday night with Tribe.
So a total of four times.
For those that wanted to keep going, there was “Las Lap” but some of us decided to head back to the hotel. I ended the night with a shot of liquor with a friend.
And just like that, Carnival was over.
Wednesday morning was surprisingly rough. I did not expect that one shot to put me over the line and the super early ride to the airport didn’t help.
Additional Notes
Carnival ended over 2 months ago and I still have trouble trying to describe the experience. Photos and videos don’t do it justice.
The weather got hot but I didn’t think it was too bad. Summers in New Orleans are a lot more brutal. Luckily, there were a lot times where it was cloudy. Sunscreen is still a must though.
Carnival is nothing like Mardi Gras other than it takes place on the same time. There aren’t any floats like in Mardi Gras and the masqueraders don’t give out anything for the spectators (at least not officially). There’s definitely nothing like J’ouvert during Mardi Gras.
Despite all the photos I posted, I still felt like I didn’t take enough. Especially on Carnival Tuesday.
We missed a lot of the cultural stuff so that’s something we have to put on the bucket list when we go back.
I still think about the doubles I had Saturday night.
Planning
I personally didn’t do much planning. I just went with whatever the group decided. A very special shout-out to Jordan, who spearheaded the bulk of it and to Nicole, who facilitated our flights. A herculean feat considering there was 30 of us. We had a group chat on WhatsApp and online meetings were held periodically leading up to Carnival.
Advice that bears repeating.
Familiarize yourself with Soca music.
Pace yourself.
Work out. Right now.
Sleep/nap whenever you can during Carnival.
Drink lots of water.
Wear comfortable shoes.
While we were on location, everything was handled by our concierge, PLAN TNT. That included costume pick-ups, tickets to the fetes, and shuttles. I think the most helpful thing they’ve done was having someone carry a huge flag so you can easily find the group in case you fall behind (which happens occasionally). They also had a liaison assigned to us for each fete in case we had any immediate concerns. There was also a dedicated WhatsApp group chat with all of us and the Plan TNT team.
Schedule
The scheduled times below were more or less suggestive. Our concierge said not to stress if we’re not on time.
Friday 2/28:
3:00AM Sunnation Sunrise
3:00PM 7:00PM Costume Distribution
8:00PM Blue Range Cooler Fete (Did not attend)
Saturday 3/1:
3:00AM AM Bush
12:00PM Soca Brainwash
10:00PM 7:30PM Avenue Bar Crawl
Sunday 3/2:
3:00AM Vale Vibe (Did not attend)
6:00PM Group Dinner
Monday 3/3:
3:00AM Red Ants J’ouvert
11:00AM Tribe Mas
Tuesday 3/4:
8:00AM Tribe Mas
Wednesday 3/5:
5:30AM Shuttle to airport
Costs
My cost for entire trip was little over $7200 (Premium Package + One Add-on Fete + Flights). I think spent about $250 (USD) while in Trinidad. Drinks and food were inclusive at all the fetes we went to.
The package included:
Hotel (Double Occupancy - Hyatt Regency)
Airport Transfers
Carnival Costume (Tribe)
J'ouvert
Fete Tickets
Ground Transportation
I did have to adjust my spending habits a bit but I was able to pay off everything ahead of schedule.
Rating of the Cups
Here are some cups I received throughout the weekend.
Sunnation Sunrise ★★★☆☆
This one has a water bottle design. It has a wooden lid with a straw opening. Both the lid and opening have a rubber seal which is nice. The construction is some kind of a soft plastic. It doesn’t feel cheap though. The pattern is kind of cool and feels like it’s been screen printed on. Overall, it fits with the vibe of the fete.
A.M.Bush ★★☆☆☆
This one was alright. The handle had grooves on it better grip. The cup itself seems to be made of thin aluminum with a plastic sleeve around it. The lid has a rotating mechanism that opens/closes the two openings (one larger than the other in case you want to take bigger sips). The problem is that doesn’t really lock in whatever position you have it on. I’m pretty sure a lot more paint got in the cup than I realized. I kept this one.
Soca Brainwash ★☆☆☆☆
You were given a choice of a black, white or red cup. I chose the black. The side had some really sharp points jutting out of it. I guess they were trying to mimic a comic book panel? The thin handle made it a bit awkward to hold. The illustrations on it looked cool at first glance but when I looked a little closer, I realized they’re AI generated.
It didn’t completely suck. It’s just bad compared to the other cups we got. It still served as a vessel for alcohol. I don’t know why I brought this one home.
Red Ants ★★☆☆☆
Just a standard cup & lid with the Red Ants logo on it. The lid had a sliding piece that keeps the opening closed. It did its job. I threw this one away along with my dirty clothes.
Tribe ★★★★☆
This one was solid and has some heft to it. The lid has a latch with a rubber end piece that keeps anything from leaking from the opening. The lid seals the cup pretty nicely. I sometimes had it clipped to my CamelBak and I don’t think it leaked anything. It also has an opening for a straw (a metal one was included), which you can close up with a rubber stopper. I definitely took this one home.
A tip we got was to put labels on our cups so we don’t have to shout when getting drinks.
Essential Packing
Earplugs
I was in a loud environment for almost the entire weekend. Especially Monday and Tuesday where I was walking alongside the big trucks. I actually use these a lot and have a pair on me at all times on my key chain. I use Earasers.CamelBak 85oz (approximately 5 bottles of water)
I mainly used it on Monday and Tuesday where we were doing a lot of walking/dancing in the hot sun. It saves a trip to the bar whenever we needed water. A couple of Gatorade packets were also added in. I had no problems carrying it all day.A Jar of Pickles
These kept me going whenever I felt Iike I was close to hitting a wall. I learned this lesson a few years ago while covering a parade. I almost succumbed to heat exhaustion until I had a few pickles. It perked me right up.Comfortable Sneakers
With all the dancing and walking, you’ll need a good pair shoes/insoles. I brought several pairs but the Nike Air Max 90’s and the ASICS Gel-Lyte V’s were clutch. Great shoes for walking and chipping on the road. For the dirty fetes, I brought my old Vans UltraRanges and my retired Nike Pegasus Trails. They served their purpose well and I didn’t feel bad about throwing them out.Stomach Meds
I had moderate stomach issues all weekend but was able to get it managed with meds. It would’ve been a bad time if I didn’t take anything.Sunscreen
You absolutely need it for the blazing sun.
I brought a heroclip just in case and it turned out to be a good idea. I used it to clip my Tribe cup to my CamelBak.
As for camera gear, I brought my Nikon Zf and mostly paired it with a 24-70mm F4 lens. A fairly lightweight and compact setup. I also brought a DJI Osmo Pocket 3 to mess around with video.
Getting Into Soca
We were told to familiarize ourselves with Soca music. I sort of got into it prior to the trip but after going to Carnival, I understand the hype. It hits different when you’re out on the road. Amusingly, they really make sure you know the songs by the time Carnival Tuesday rolls around because the DJs will play the same 5-6 songs over and over, back to back to back. This was a common complaint that I saw, but I didn’t mind it too much.
Apparently, there’s a competition between the songs. I’m not exactly sure how its judged but you can see the results below.
TUCO Bmobile Road March Results 2025
PARDY - Machel Montano (267 Plays)
Carry It - Bunji Garlin (253 Plays)
Thousands - Bunji Garlin (22 Plays)
Bet Meh - Machel Montano (15 Plays)
Road Meeting - Fay Ann Lyons (11 Plays)
My Music Stats
PARDY had the mass appeal but it wasn’t my #1.
My personal favorite song of the weekend:
Carry It - Bunji Garlin
Song that I really liked but not so much on the road:
One Piece - GBM Nutron & Tano
Song I looked forward to hearing but only heard it like twice the whole weekend, granted it was kind of old at this point:
Come Home - Nailah Blackman x Skinny Fabulous
Song I heard after the fact and wished I heard it more on the road:
Truck Instructions - Nailah Blackman
Song that’s super dumb but I can’t help but sing it:
Eating Cat (Meow Meow Meow) - Suhrawh & Rawsheid
Recorded Steps
Would I go again?
Most definitely but I do need my fix of Mardi Gras first.
If I got anything wrong or if you have any questions, you can reach me at departedpatterns@gmail.com
