NCC BRINGS WELCOME TO THE GAYELLE AND TRADITIONAL CARNIVAL CHARACTERS TO POINT FORTIN BOROUGH DAY 2026

Port of Spain, Trinidad, Tuesday, May 5, 2026: With just about 280 days until Trinidad and Tobago Carnival 2027, the National Carnival Commission of Trinidad and Tobago (NCC) hosted two marquee, free and open to the public events as part of this year’s annual Point Fortin Borough Day festivities that took place over the May weekend.

On Friday, May 1, from 8 pm, blazing stick fighting action took centre stage at Guapo Recreational Ground, Savannah Road with the introduction of Welcome to the Gayelle – Point Fortin.

National Stick Fighting Champion 2026, Selwyn John boasted a masterful performance that saw him beat all challengers to claim the Welcome to the Gayelle Point Fortin title and the top prize of $10,000.
In second and third place were Daniel Barclay and Ainsley Alcia respectively who similarly impressed the judges and the supporters during their bouts with their determination and skill.

After three successful events during the Carnival 2026 season, Welcome to the Gayelle, a standalone single round competition hosted in various communities, has become a staple of the Commission’s Carnival 365 campaign.

With more than a dozen competitors and more than 200 supporters, Friday’s event was a true stick fighting showcase that surpassed expectations and left many impressed, including NCC Chairman, Peter Kanhai, who has attended every Welcome to the Gayelle competition this year.

Friday’s competition proved to be a welcome and much appreciated addition to the NCC’s ongoing efforts to provide more opportunities for various regional Carnival based activities across Trinidad and Tobago.

On Saturday, May 2, from 1 pm, Traditional Carnival Characters took to the streets in a cavalcade of colour and creativity, flowing along the Main Road and leading to John Cupid Square where they displayed their creations before the crowds.

Saturday’s parade featured one of the most diverse arrays of beloved characters in a celebration of Trinidad and Tobago Carnival.

In expressing the Commission’s support of the two cultural exhibitions, NCC Chairman, Peter Kanhai said, “We are honoured to play our role in presenting entertaining, memorable, and safe experiences for all during this year’s Point Fortin Borough Day celebrations.”

“As we continue to invest in Carnival 365, we are always vigilant for opportunities to work with various communities and regional Carnival stakeholders to market and showcase more of our Carnival culture throughout the year,” Kanhai said.

He added, “We enjoyed hosting Welcome to the Gayelle and the Traditional Carnival Character Parade as our gifts to the community and we hope that everyone who attended had a wonderful time as our honoured guests.”

The NCC sincerely thanks the public for its ongoing support and looks forward to future initiatives that showcase and celebrate our rich Trinidad and Tobago Carnival culture.

For more information on all the action from Welcome to the Gayelle and the NCC Traditional Character Parade, please contact the NCC via email at info@ncctt.org, or visit online at ncctt.org or via Facebook and Instagram.