Endless Wine: A Guide to Fetin’ at Trinidad Carnival

Words by Tishanna Williams

Why do we love Trinidad and Tobago? Who wouldn’t love a place where the year starts with one of the biggest festivals in the world, and the party doesn’t stop for two months! LargeUp has even taken the guesswork out of things for you by creating a list of the best fetes happening from now til Ash Wednesday. Visit each event’s Facebook page for online ticket sites… and happy fetein!

ARMY FETE 06/02
Yes, even the military forces are in on the Carnival excitement! Start your pre-Carnival weekend off with the event that’s been dubbed the ‘safest fete for Carnival’—for obvious reasons! Army Fete is one of the most popular in the season due to its top security and all-inclusive party vibe offering relaxed liming to wining and jumping in a crazy soca mosh pit in front the stage.

Cost: General – US$40 VIP – approx US$70

YUMA “NEON” – 07/02 (10pm til)
Neon has been YUMA’s flagship event since the band’s inception and, with its reasonable (drinks-inclusive) cost, what more could you ask for? Another great fete perhaps? Fear not, they got you. This year the band is also producing a cooler fete called Fahrenheit on Saturday 13th that seems to be building a big buzz among partygoers.

Cost: Neon – approx US$50

Fahrenheit – US$42

Two ticket package – US$90

MAI TAI “Soca In Paradise” – 08/02 (3pm-11pm)

FLIGHT CRUISE Carnival Cooler Experience – 08/02 (4pm – 11pm)

Two different, equally stellar experiences. The right party for you really depends on your personal taste and what part of the island you want to hit. Mai Tai is a ‘premium all-inclusive’ event with a menu includes Scotch-infused pork and French Cut lamb loin, and high-end drink options. The venue is the beautiful Brechin castle in Central Trinidad and there will be free shuttle service for patrons, available from two central points on the island. Check them out at www.caesarsarmy.com for tickets and links to their other premium Carnival events.

Cost – approx US$110

Cooler fetes are all the rage, and Flight Cruise has been the premiere cooler experience since 2006. This year, they celebrate their ninth anniversary with another stellar event featuring surprise artistes and international DJs. Walk in with your drinks and your crew, and jam the time away.

Cost – US$50

MACHEL MONDAY: 09/02 (6pm – 12am)
Carnival week begins with Machel Monday, which has fast become a tradition on the last Monday before bacchanal begins. This year we are asked to enter the Triangle of Monk as the superhuman force that is Machel Montano takes the stage with friends for one of the best-attended and most-talked-about fetes for the season. Every year the show gives you spectacle, great music and big name international acts—Christopher Martin, Shaggy, Beenie Man, Fatman Scoop, Timaya and Angela Hunte are some of the acts in the lineup this year.

Cost: US$50 (Greens) US$100 (Diamond) US$200 (Platinum)

MOMENTUM: SOCA + EDM – 12/02 (10pm- 4am)
Mix up the vibe a bit by tossing some EDM, reggae and hip-hop into your soca. For 2015, the Momentum crew have brought in some international heavy hitters including Cash Cash, US DJ Bourgeous, rap’s big new duo Rae Sremmurd, and Jamaican dancehall superproducer/artist Rvssian alongside Trini soca royalty. Need more incentive? Check out Machel and Major Lazer’s ‘Sound Bang’ video, part of which was shot at last year’s edition of the event.

Cost: US$50 (Courtyard) -US$70 (Platinum)

SOCA MONARCH FINALS – 13/02 (8pm til)
It’s Fantastic Friday! All eyes will be glued to the stage (or if you’re not lucky enough to be here—TV, online streaming or the constant updates on social media sites) to see who will walk away with the Groovy and Power Soca titles at International Soca Monarch. Artistes come from around the world (or the Caribbean, at least) and the finalists pull out all the stops to make sure they wow the crowd and judges. P.S – It may be the last time you see Monk Monte, Machel Montano, in the running— the defending Power Soca Monarch has declared this his final year in the competition.

Cost: General – US$40 VIP – US$80

SOCA BRAINWASH – 14/02 (11am-5pm)
Happy Valentines Day! Let’s celebrate love and the fact that you are in the party capital of the Caribbean with DJ Private Ryan—one of the best and most traveled soca DJs in the business— who is going to bring out the bacchanalist in you with some crazy soca mixes. A brunch inclusive event, Soca Brainwash is causing so much buzz that it’s hard to imagine anyone will be anywhere else.

Cost: approx US$120

SCORCH EVENTS – 13/02, 14/02
We can’t just pick one, when they are all so good. With events like Phucket… It’s Carnival Friday, _UCK Work and Scorch Carnival Saturday happening all during the weekend before Carnival (some even on the same day) we’re overjoyed just thinking about them. Make sure you check out at least one before you leave the island.

Various costs.

Photo: Lehwehgo

BREAKFAST/SUNRISE FETES – 15/02
Breakfast/sunrise parties are a Trini Carnival Sunday tradition. It’s not about partying tonight (tomorrow is J’Ouvert and the start of the real thing! Get some rest). These events get started between 2am and 6am and can go til noon. Choose from great all-inclusive breakfast events like Sunny Side Up or Shades to the craziest water sunrise fete, Insomnia, featuring Machel, Bunji Garlin and Fay-Ann Lyons.

Various costs.

MUDERN MUD – 15/02 – 17/02

J’Ouvert Mud Mas is big in T&T and one of the biggest Carnival affairs in Tobago is The Tobago Mudern Mud Festival produced by Bagatelle Dutty Camp. The experience includes a “Mudern Mud Devils” J’Ouvert Band and a theatrical beauty pageant— J’Ouvert style—called Ms. Mudern Mud. Wining and jamming to sweet soca covered in non-toxic paint and mud? Yes, please!

Cost: approx US$35 (Food and Drink incl.)

The Remedy… Your After Carnival Medication – 19/02

All roads (or, boats, rather) after Carnival lead to Tobago to lay back and relax and finally cool down. And how do we cool down in T&T? With more FETE! Hit The Remedy, and party with international DJs and artistes in the world-famous Buccoo Reef and Nylon Pool. Premium drinks, good food and watersports are just the tip of the iceberg as we party goodbye to the Greatest Experience of 2015, Trinidad Carnival.