The Jamaica Star :: Entertainment :: Unique concepts at soca parties

Teino Evans, Staff Reporter

Carnival lovers can look forward to new concepts at upcoming soca parties during the season. - Winston Sill

The carnival season is well on the way and, so far, soca lovers have been treated to a wide variety of theme parties and attractions. But there is more in store, as some promoters say the best is yet to come.

Andrew Bellamy, one of the Directors for Island Mas Jamaica, says this year they will be keeping four major soca events, "the first starting this Saturday at the Pantry, called Hard Wine - The Ultimate Soca Experience".

New location

The event, which has been held for six years on the campus of the University of the West Indies, Mona, is being moved for the first time off campus and incorporated into the carnival season. According to Bellamy, there are a few new concepts and themes that will be introduced in Jamaica.

Patrons can take their own drinks to 'The Cooler Fête - Bringing Soca To Life' to be held on Sunday, March 9 at Senior Common Room, UWI, Mona.

Other events that they will be staging include 'Carnival Explosion' on Saturday, March 8 at the Student's Union, UWI, "and it's going to be a high energy soca party and this is to help build a momentum for UWI carnival." The carnival will be held from March 13-16.

"Then on Saturday, March 29th we will be having 'The Official Wata Party - prepared to get wet' at 1B Oxford Road, in the car park beside Mas Camp, and as the name suggests, you're going to get wet at this event," Bellamy continued.

Bellamy admits that the concepts are not totally original, and that he got the idea at a party in Trinidad.

"They had about three large fire trucks just spraying the water and the reaction of the people just made us realise that water and soca is just the perfect combination. People get wild and loose and just be free in whatever fun they're having," Bellamy said.

The Bacchanal Jamaica group has also been impressive with their themed parties so far, as their Friday night soca fetes at the Mas Camp Village in New Kingston have been attracting patrons from all over.

With themes like 'Hot Dreams', 'Dreams of Neverland', 'Cotton Candy Dreams', 'Wet Fête Dreams', among others, patrons have been looking forward to the events.

"This is our fifth week and so far the turnout has been tremendous. Every Friday, we have more and more patrons coming out," said Samantha Franklin, public relations manager for the Bacchanal Jamaica Group.

"This Friday, Ocean Spray will be taking over, we'll be having a foam pit in the Mas Camp and we're bringing in a gentleman who has a jetpack and he'll be flying over the Mas Camp and dropping off some giveaways," Franklin said.

She added, "the overall theme for Bacchanal Carnival this year is 'Dreams Come Through' and so with the Friday night fetes, we try to coordinate a different dream coming through for patrons."

Body art is also a feature of the new concepts of the carnival season.