Parade of the Bands 2015 Junior and Senior Routes Announced

Port of Spain, Trinidad: January 8, 2015: The official Parade of the Bands 2015 Junior and Senior Routes were announced during an NCC-hosted press conference held at its VIP Lounge in the Queen’s Park Savannah on Wednesday January 7, 2015.

Before an audience of media representatives, NCC Board Commissioners, management and staff, NCC Chair, Lorraine Pouchet unveiled the plans, among which included significant changes to the Junior Parade of the Bands route on Carnival Saturday, and the return of the Socadrome at Jean Pierre Complex on Carnival Tuesday from 8am to 4pm.

Pouchet announced that on Carnival Saturday, Junior Parade Carnival Bands with majority members 6 years and under would assemble on the Drag at the Queen’s Park Savannah, cross the stage from east to west, and make their exit via Victoria Avenue.

From there they are free to continue on, heading east along Queen’s Park West, south along Dundonald Street, east along Tragarete Road, and then south along St Vincent Street to the Mayor’s Mas on the Move judging point at South Quay, their final stop.

For those Junior Parade Bands, whose majority members are older than 6 years, they would assemble on St Vincent Street, next to the Treasury Building, then move south along St Vincent Street and then head east to the South Quay judging point. They would then proceed north on to Broadway, north on to Frederick Street and would enter the Savannah stage area from the east, where they will exit via Victoria Avenue, and proceed along the rest of the route.

The Socadrome, has been reintroduced from last year, and facilitates non-competing Carnival Bands who will now proceed south along Victoria Avenue, west along Tragarete Road to the Roxy Roundabout, south on Damian Street, south along Taylor Street, west on Ariapita Avenue onto Maraval Parkway.  

From there, they will enter the Hasely Crawford Stadium through the ‘Castro Gate’ going anti-clockwise around the Hasely Crawford Stadium into the Socadrome Stage at the Jean Pierre Complex, Woodbrook.

Bands exiting the Socadrome will then proceed onto Fitzblackman Drive, north along Hamilton Holder Street, then east onto Ariapita Avenue, and rejoin the parade route.

Pouchet, during her remarks, expressed the Commission’s deepest thanks to all the contributing bodies, and noted that the process, which is still ongoing, as the NCC is still in consultation with various stakeholders to mitigate further concerns, has proven effective in addressing most of the existing problems.

“We took deliberate steps to make this decision a joint one. We sought to take into account as many public voices as we could because we understand what is at stake if this decision does not take into account and bring together all interested stakeholders,” Pouchet said.

She shared her confidence in the route as part of the NCC’s mandate to manage, coordinate, and regulate Carnival activities, saying “As participation in Carnival continues to grow, so too must the way we treat effectively with the challenges it can present as, when, and where it does. As we manage the parade route on Carnival Monday and Tuesday, we are putting effective structures and measures in place to minimise confusion and backlog.”

New this year is the fact that all bands must also register with the NCC to ensure that bands do not stray from the designated routes. The NCC is inviting bands to have at least three members of their management team accredited with the NCC.

These accredited persons would then be tasked with working alongside the NCC security management team to ensure that they are aware of the route, and can be quickly assisted with any issues bands may face beforehand.

Pouchet shared the vision behind this, saying, “We are under strict instructions from the Ministry of National Security and the Trinidad and Tobago Police Service (TTPS), as the TTPS must be aware of all persons/organisations using the routes,”

Pouchet explained after indicating that the NCC is working closely with the police to “devise a solution that maximises their presence, but also minimises any strain or hindrance to the proper discharge of their duties.”

Here is a breakdown of the new routes by Category:

Click here or image to download  (69.3KB Adobe PDF)
Junior Parade of the Bands Route 2015 - Carnival Saturday

• Bands, in which the majority of children are over 6 years, will assemble on St. Vincent Street, (Treasury Building) and move south along St. Vincent Street, moving east along South Quay (Mayor's Mas on the Move Competition Judging Point). Then north into Broadway, north into Frederick Street and will enter into the Queen's Park Savannah stage area from the east.

• Once bands have completed their QPS stage presentation, the competition ends. The parade commences promptly at 8 am.

• Bands, in which the majority of children are under 6 years, will assemble on the Drag of the Queen's Park Savannah and cross the stage from the east.

• Once bands have completed their QPS stage presentation, they will exit via Victoria Avenue, east along Queen’s Park West, south along Dundonald Street, East along Tragarete Road, and then south along St. Vincent Street to the (Mayor's Mas on the Move Judging Point).
• Bands can request permission to start closer to the QPS.

Click here or image to download  (65.1KB Adobe PDF)
Senior Parade of the Bands Route 2015

In Port of Spain:

• Bands will move from Ana Street proceeding east along Ariapita Avenue onto Park Street, turn south along Richmond Street, east along Independence Square, south along St. Vincent Street, east on South Quay, then north along Charlotte Street, and turn west onto Queen’s Park East to enter the Savannah.

• Having exited the Savannah, bands will proceed South along Victoria Avenue. Bands will then head west along Tragarete Road, south onto Pole Carew Street, onto Ana Street and then to Ariapita Avenue.

• Bands wishing to go to the Piccadilly Street (The Greens) judging point will proceed east along Independence Square South, onto Piccadilly Street (around the bridge), west onto Park Street (Bands not competing at the Queen's Park Savannah may continue West to Tragarete Road), then north along Charlotte Street, west on Queen’s Park East to enter the Savannah.

• Steel Bands wishing to go to the Piccadilly Street (The Greens) judging point will proceed along the same route as the bands.

SOCADROME - 8.00 am – 4.00 pm on Tuesday ONLY

• Bands will proceed south along Victoria Avenue, west along Tragerete Road to the Roxy Roundabout, south on Damian Street, south along Taylor Street, west on Ariapita Avenue onto Maraval Parkway.

• They will enter the Hasely Crawford Stadium through the ‘Castro Gate’ going anti-clockwise around the Hasely Crawford Stadium into the Jean Pierre Complex (The SOCADROME).

• Having exited the stage, bands will proceed onto Fitzblackman Drive, north along Hamilton Holder Street, then east onto Ariapita Avenue, rejoining the parade route.

The Panel fields questions from the media. (From left to right): Communications Manager, Kevon Gervais, Deputy Chairman, Don Sylvester, NCC Chair, Lorraine Pouchet and NCC CEO (ag.) Stephen Sogren

Guardian journalist, Kalifa Clyne raises a question to the panel

NCC Chair, Lorraine Pouchet announces the Junior and Senior Parade of the Bands