Masqueraders anxious for Carnival 2012 will have at least one more option, as Fantasy Carnival prepares to launch their debut presentation, “Book of Angels” this Saturday night at the all new O2 Park in Chaguaramas.
photo by Gary Jordan
Founded by a group of carnival enthusiasts with over fifteen years experience in T&T’s entertainment industry, Fantasy Carnival has already attracted an A-list of frontline personalities.
“Carnival has always included a large amount of fantasy,” said the band’s official spokeswoman, Jamie Garcia. “We portray various birds, historical figures, even forces of nature and when we take to the streets and take the stage, we fantasize in our minds that we have become whatever it is that we’re playing. So that’s where the name and the idea originated and our aim is to transform the Carnival fantasies of our masqueraders into reality.”
Fantasy Carnival will present twelve sections at the launch, but the names and designs, as well as the finer details about the band itself will remain a closely-guarded secret until that night.
“Mas is a highly-competitive industry nowadays,” said Band Official, Bjorn Rezende, “and we want to create a truly memorable experience for our masqueraders, so we have to surprise them with all the details on the night when their interest has peaked. If we told and showed them everything in advance, then there’d be little point in attending the launch, would there?
What has been revealed of the Fantasy Carnival experience thus far is that it will be a “fun-inclusive” band, complete with complimentary food, drinks and lots of “fun snacks, treats and funtastic surprises”. It is also rumored that the costumes being produced by Fantasy Carnival are intricate in design and fashioned from some exquisite materials. What sets this organization apart from the rest is their “record of fulfillment in event management and production” and their “carefully planned entry into the mas business”.
photo by Gary Jordan
“The idea for Fantasy Carnival has been in development for several years,” said Garcia. “It’s not something we woke up a few weeks ago and decided to do. In coming together to produce this band, we took a strategic approach, which began by introducing the name Fantasy in July 2010 followed by the presentation of Fantasy J’ouvert for Carnival 2011, as well as several other niche events. Events such as ‘Throw Back’, ‘Wicked in White’, ‘Rise’ and of course, ‘Jamboree Fete’ allowed us to tap into our audience and ascertain exactly what their needs and desires are with regard to a Carnival band. With this information in hand now, we can accurately provide all the ingredients necessary to transform their Carnival fantasies into reality.”
Floating in on a cloud of mystery, Fantasy Carnival will cater for all ages, races and nationalities. Their membership will be highly committee-driven, but that does not mean potential masqueraders cannot walk in off the street and sign up with them.
“We’re currently putting the finishing touches on our mas-camp,” added Rezende, “which will be conveniently located in Woodbrook. The exact address and opening hours will be revealed soon, but we want to open our arms to the playing public in advance and invite them, firstly to the launch on August 6 (smile), and thereafter, to our mas-camp and ultimately to the Fantasy Carnival experience. We guarantee it will be the experience of a lifetime.”
For more on Fantasy Carnival, please visit their website at www.mycarnivalfantasy.com and check out Fantasy Carnival on Facebook.