Saint Lucia Carnival 2025 Post-Mortem: A Festival On Its Way

Carnival 2025 delivered a mixture of exhilarating highs and frustrating lows, especially for spectators. It is proof that while Saint Lucia’s biggest cultural festival is firmly on the rise, there’s still work to be done to reach its full potential.

Winners and Standouts
This year’s competition stage belonged to familiar names and fresh fire. Dezral and Jardel’s “The Car” stormed the Soca Monarch Power stage, while Imran “Nerdy” impressed with his Groovy Soca hit Warning. Dezral further cemented his dominance by retaining the Calypso Monarch crown. On the steelpan side, Pantime Steel Orchestra emerged triumphant at Panorama, bringing the thunder of iron and rhythm. Accela Marketing was proud to have sponsored the band this year. On the road, Tribe of Twel(l) captured Band of the Year honours again. This is similar to other artistic masquerade bands in larger markets that consistently bring more conscious themes and innovative designs than the standard bikini thong, beads and feathers.

Celebrity and Tourism Buzz
Carnival 2025 was not only a local showcase but a magnet for international eyes. Superstar Chlöe Bailey lit up the streets with her playful revelry, while actor Lance Gross was also spotted “on de road.” According to tourism officials, Saint Lucia welcomed approximately 24,500 visitors during the festival — a record-breaking 36% increase over last year. Clearly, Carnival is becoming a key tourism draw. As the festival continues to expand, new infrastructure will be needed to make it a festival for everyone.

The Growing Pains
Rapid growth comes with growing pains. Congestion plagued Castries as chokepoints and bottlenecks slowed bands and frustrated spectators. “A parad eof trucks”  it was described by some spectators on the Castries Waterfront. Whether viewing from land or sea, there was no real “Parade Of The Bands” where the costumes shone. There were music trucks, drink trucks, comfort station trucks interspaced with masqueraders. As usual the bands bringing the real culture and live music were the visiting bands from Guadeloupe, Martinique and Dominica, along with Pantime on the road and local traditional mas bands. The time has come to reconsider allowing massive music trucks and band facility trucks as part of the parade along the Waterfront Route. If they remained parked higher up the John Compton Highway, it would ease congestion. A “Masquerade Procession Only” rule implemented from the LUCELEC to Castries Market stage. People came to see MAS, not trucks. Music can be provided via loudspeakers placed along the route. Route management and traffic control will need urgent rethinking.

Costume originality was another talking point: while feathers and gems sparkled across social media, critics lamented the repetitive aesthetic. Live music, despite Panorama’s energy, remained underrepresented on the road, with DJs dominating sound systems rather than rhythm sections. While visitors are appreciated and welcome, many Saint Lucians complained about the festival now becoming gentrified and inaccessible to the average Lucian.

Innovations and Fixes
Solutions exist. Carnival could adopt timed wave grids and marshalling points, as seen at London’s Notting Hill Carnival, to ease congestion. Incentivizing bands to feature live pan or rhythm sections — even creating a “Live Road Award” — would elevate authenticity. Small grants for designers through a juried Mas Lab could also foster originality. Finally, developing niche experiences such as a Dennery Segment showcase, a Traditional Mas morning, or a sustainability-focused “Green Fete Circuit” would give Saint Lucia Carnival a sharper international brand.

Carnival 2025 showed that Saint Lucia is well on its way to becoming a marquee festival on the global stage. With refinements in creativity, logistics, and cultural storytelling, the festival can rise from“ promising” to “world-class.”

‍