Last Updated on September 1, 2024 by Jill
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As promised today’s blog post is Flash Back Friday-Grenada Carnival! This post was written during our time there but lost when my computer fried. I was able to find them again so I am finally sharing these experiences for the first time. Enjoy!
We have just spent the last three days experiencing Carnival here in Grenada after arriving from Carriacou. I gotta say if you come to Grenada you should attend their carnival. Many people say it is the best carnival in the Caribbean. Some say it is second to only Trinidad. Whatever they say we thought it was fantastic. Quite an experience!
Jouvert
We started with the first event for us being the Jouvert. This is an early morning parade starting before dawn. Well before dawn! Large trucks blasting very loud Soca music, each followed by a truck with gallons of paint and oil (people smear all over themselves and others). Each truck is for a different colored devil crew. All of this in the middle of a huge throng of people, along with some JabJabs (people wearing horned helmets, chains, and covered in used motor oil).
It’s all quite a mess and a helluva lot of fun! Going with a group also adds to the experience. We went in with our three friends that we have been buddy boating with. Tied up at the dinghy dock at 530am and met some other boaty friends. What a blast! After the party was over we ate chicken and chips and headed back to the boat. Picked up the dogs and all went to the beach for some relaxing and cooling off. It was time for a nap we were all exhausted. We each went back and slept to ready ourselves for the evening parade that was starting around 7 pm or so we thought.
Night Parade
This night parade is a group of floats with loud music and bands. You can join in and be on the floats by buying packages that give you t-shirts and other fun items to wear on the float. We decided to just watch on the sidelines and glad we did. A couple of us were still quite exhausted from the early morning festivities and headed back to the boat. It didn’t end up starting till after 9 pm but the music was booming much earlier! It went on until the early hours of the morning.
Pretty Mas!
The next morning we got up took the dogs to the beach to play around for a while. Headed in for the last Parade of Carnival. Pretty Mas or Spice Mas! It’s the parade with all the feather costumes that you often see advertised. Groups walk through the streets dressed in some really amazing costumes with music blaring. It lives up to the name Pretty and Spicy for sure. This is the one parade that I have been waiting for. It starts in the afternoon around 2 p.m. and goes well into the evening. The music is still booming and moving along with each group as they pass by us. What stunning costumes and passion in the air.
It truly is an incredible three days that we will never forget. I would definitely recommend coming to see and experience it. Usually, it takes place here at the beginning of August. Carnival is an event that happens on most of the islands but for us, this was the most fantastic experience. Here is a link for more information on Grenada Carnival. I leave you with some beautiful pictures from Pretty Mas!
Cheers,
Jill
