Bacchanal Jamaica Carnival 2009 goes "Hollywood"

It will be 'lights, camera, action' at the Mas Camp Village on February 6 when Bacchanal Jamaica opens its door to revellers for the carnival season.

Bacchanal Jamaica is set to go Hollywood for carnival this year, incorporating a fantasy movie theme at the Mas Camp venue on Oxford Road, St Andrew and to the costumes for the road march.

Escapism for patrons

When The Sunday Gleaner spoke with Bacchanal Jamaica director, Michael Ammar, Jr, he explained that the Hollywood concept was created as an act of escapism for patrons in the current difficult economic climate.

"When we started to conceptualise the theme last July, things were starting to get rough in the world," he said. "So, we thought what would be a nice escape from reality, and what's better than Hollywood? Our prediction happened and things got worse, so we expanded the theme from beyond the road march to the whole carnival."

Mas Camp, according to Ammar, is already in the transformation process and when the weekly soca fêtes begin, the venue will look like a movie set.

This is just one of many changes, as this year there will be two VIP areas, which include an ultra all-inclusive VIP area set up in front of the stage during live-band nights. There will also be a 'Genesis Sky Dome' above the costume tent.

The first night kicks off on February 6 under the theme 'lights, camera, action'.

Bigger crowd expected

As for the costumes for the road march, scheduled for Sunday, April 19, Ammar stated, "This year, there will be eight sections. All of them will reflect a movie or a movie theme."

Last year Bacchanal Jamaica had approximately 1,500 costumed revellers in the road march. Ammar said he was expecting an even bigger carnival and crowd support this year.

With the Hollywood concept created to It will be 'lights, camera, action' at the Mas Camp Village on February 6 when Bacchanal Jamaica opens its door to revellers for the carnival season.

Bacchanal Jamaica is set to go Hollywood for carnival this year, incorporating a fantasy movie theme at the Mas Camp venue on Oxford Road, St Andrew and to the costumes for the road march.

Escapism for patrons

When The Sunday Gleaner spoke with Bacchanal Jamaica director, Michael Ammar, Jr, he explained that the Hollywood concept was created as an act of escapism for patrons in the current difficult economic climate.

"When we started to conceptualise the theme last July, things were starting to get rough in the world," he said. "So, we thought what would be a nice escape from reality, and what's better than Hollywood? Our prediction happened and things got worse, so we expanded the theme from beyond the road march to the whole carnival."

Mas Camp, according to Ammar, is already in the transformation process and when the weekly soca fêtes begin, the venue will look like a movie set.

This is just one of many changes, as this year there will be two VIP areas, which include an ultra all-inclusive VIP area set up in front of the stage during live-band nights. There will also be a 'Genesis Sky Dome' above the costume tent.

The first night kicks off on February 6 under the theme 'lights, camera, action'.

Bigger crowd expected

As for the costumes for the road march, scheduled for Sunday, April 19, Ammar stated, "This year, there will be eight sections. All of them will reflect a movie or a movie theme."

Last year Bacchanal Jamaica had approximately 1,500 costumed revellers in the road march. Ammar said he was expecting an even bigger carnival and crowd support this year.

With the Hollywood concept created to It will be 'lights, camera, action' at the Mas Camp Village on February 6 when Bacchanal Jamaica opens its door to revellers for the carnival season.

Bacchanal Jamaica is set to go Hollywood for carnival this year, incorporating a fantasy movie theme at the Mas Camp venue on Oxford Road, St Andrew and to the costumes for the road march.

Escapism for patrons

When The Sunday Gleaner spoke with Bacchanal Jamaica director, Michael Ammar, Jr, he explained that the Hollywood concept was created as an act of escapism for patrons in the current difficult economic climate.

"When we started to conceptualise the theme last July, things were starting to get rough in the world," he said. "So, we thought what would be a nice escape from reality, and what's better than Hollywood? Our prediction happened and things got worse, so we expanded the theme from beyond the road march to the whole carnival."

Mas Camp, according to Ammar, is already in the transformation process and when the weekly soca fêtes begin, the venue will look like a movie set.

This is just one of many changes, as this year there will be two VIP areas, which include an ultra all-inclusive VIP area set up in front of the stage during live-band nights. There will also be a 'Genesis Sky Dome' above the costume tent.

The first night kicks off on February 6 under the theme 'lights, camera, action'.

Bigger crowd expected

As for the costumes for the road march, scheduled for Sunday, April 19, Ammar stated, "This year, there will be eight sections. All of them will reflect a movie or a movie theme."

Last year Bacchanal Jamaica had approximately 1,500 costumed revellers in the road march. Ammar said he was expecting an even bigger carnival and crowd support this year.

With the Hollywood concept created to escape the economic decline, the prices this year (gate entry and the bar), according to Ammar, will be close to last year's.