Tobago October Carnival 2023 Appreciation Function

Scarborough, Tobago – January 27th, 2024 – The Division of Tourism, Culture, Antiquities and Transportation recently hosted an Appreciation Cocktail Reception on Thursday, January 25th, 2024, at the Heritage Pavilion, Pigeon Point Heritage Park. This appreciation function was held to formally recognize the invaluable contributions of sponsors and stakeholders in making the Tobago October Carnival 2023 a resounding success.

At the function, six key sponsors were formally acknowledged: Carib Brewery Limited, Caribbean Airlines Limited, bmobile, Republic Bank Limited, Amplia, and Medical Air Services Limited (MASA). These organizations provided essential support in various capacities, crucial to the festival’s execution.

The evening also served as the prize-giving ceremony for the inaugural bmobile “Band of d’ Road” competition. Ms. Onica Blackman, bmobile’s Head of Tobago Operations, was present to distribute the prizes. This competition, in its first year, uniquely awarded prizes based solely on “people’s choice.” The winners of the three categories were Moriah Heritage Group for Best Cultural Presentation, Sisters in Culture for Traditional Mas, and Iconic Mas for Contemporary Mas.

Giving opening remarks, CEO of the Tobago Performing Arts Company, Jared Prima, expressed deep gratitude towards all stakeholders and sponsors for their integral role in the festival’s second iteration. Remarks were also given by Ms. Cindy-Lou Edwards, Chairman of the Tobago Festivals Commission Limited (TFCL), who spoke to the vital importance of collaboration in making such festivals a success. She highlighted her belief that the collective efforts of the Tobago October Carnival Committee (spearheaded by Dr. Charleston Thomas and comprising representatives from the Tobago Tourism Agency Limited (TTAL), Tobago Performing Arts Company (TPAC), and Tobago Festivals Commission Limited (TFCL)), coupled with partnerships with sponsors and stakeholders, significantly contributed to the success of the October Carnival product in 2023.

Secretary Tashia Burris conveyed her thanks to the sponsors and stakeholders, reaffirming that the Tobago October Carnival 2023 was a resounding success. She expressed hope for continued growth in partnerships and greater involvement from the Tobago business community as sponsors in future events. Burris underscored the carnival’s triumph by citing impressive attendance figures: “When you look at the fact that a carnival that is only 2 years old welcomed over 25,000 people into our capital over the course of 72 hours with no major incidents reported. That is what success looks like to us.”