Mélange Travel & Lifestyle Magazine July 2019 | Page 231

Lavinia
shared with Mélange . . .
About how and when
Carnival Corner was born
In 2015, I attended an event
and the very next morning
I got up and started typing,
expressing my opinion about it,
online. My cousin who resides
in the Netherlands messaged
me privately and asked me to
keep doing my reviews because
the details I provided with it
was proving to be beneficial to
readers who were interested
in St. Maarten and its carnival.
In 2018 I decide to change the
format and went live.
About the most unique
aspect of St Maarten’s
carnival that differentiates it
from the other carnivals in
the Caribbean
Definitely Carnival Village which
is actually named “Festival
Village.” During April, the
Village is open 24/7.
You can go there and
find food and drinks. The
carnival shows are held
there. People literally come
to St. Maarten to see our
Festival Village during Carnival.
This year we had a Machel
Montano concert during carnival
and the Village was filled like it
has never been before. In the
daytime, it is a mini restaurant
haven where you can find local
food and specialty drinks.
About what she enjoys the
most during carnival I love
Jouvert and Parades. I have
been taking part in parades
from 5 years old and now I am
almost 40 so that is quite a
number of years :) Our Jouvert
morning starts exactly at 4 am
and it goes around our Great
Salt Pond. Imagine 17 or 18
trucks on the road, live bands,
DJs, water, artistes . . . it is just
a big fete on its own. Inside
the Village for the Carnival
event, other than the
Pageant, my favorite
show is Caribbean Flag Fest
which is put on by 78 Inc. This
event displays the unity of all
the Caribbean islands. Everyone
who is present represents
their place of origin with their
country’s flag. Bands from
various islands in the Caribbean
also are on stage that night and
there’s never a dull moment,
throughout . . .
About some of the popular
St. Maarten Carnival Events
Caribbean Flag Fest, Soca
Rumble (which is similar to Soca
Monarch, Groovy and UpTempo),
and Night of the Hitmakers.