Yesterday evening Was Miami Carnival Inc.'s first meeting with Band leaders for the 2008 Carnival Season.
Strange...band leaders go through so much before Carnival.
Everybody seems really frustrated. But you walk in each year..and its the same faces. I realize I'm an old fart face there too. We walk in ..say hi and Shrug as if...yeah ... I know...but I back too...haha.

Everyone Selman is doing well. Thank God. Frailer than I would like....but that ALL that's changed. Sigh...that man. :)

Anyways to the MEAT of the Meeting.

Venue

This Remains the Same. A suggestion was made to shorten the route for last year, which was quickly shut down..[i quite agree]. The Route will remain the same [or may actually be lengthened just a little]

Resolving of Last Years Issues

Because of the issue of non communication between bands and police on the street last year, a meeting has been set up with the police, MCI and Bandleaders to try and convey the dynamic of what our Carnival Parade should be like.

In fact MCI is trying to eliminate the need for the motorcycle cops at ALL on the route and instead establish marshalls who can be the liaisons between the Bands and Bandleaders and the police.

Also the Commissioner is being asked to help in conveying the message to the city and police that if we have Booked these streets for a specific period - no one should be rushed off or forward until that time is UP! if we pay for the street for 1 to 7..when is 7 oclock you chase people..not before!!

Steups . Alyuh remember how we tried to reason with the Police last year about the Trucks?

How masqueraders had to RUN to keep up with the Music Truck?

Hopefully this will try to minimize this possibility.

Also talks are in for a Music truck STAGING area. To avoid the build up in the park to allow the bands to line up in the order they must appear in...ALL the Music trucks will be at one area. I like that Idea. Cause then your masqueraders know where to find you. The staging area for the bands.

Anyways if this happens the band will MOVE OFF in the order they will appear..so there is no bottle neck and no masquerader is ROBBED of the their experience because of time. [I hope this works] but it would also mean that the bands MUST arrive and move off on time.






BWAHHAHAHAHAHAH......oh lord ..ah weak.....pfffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffttttttttttttt...
yeah...



HAHAHAH...........fadda lord...


ok..


back to the Meeting..


New Developments

Added to the registered Band this year will be FOUR, count em 4 Brazilian Dance Schools. Yes Samba Schools, Favelas, and Capoeira. HOT! and a Haitian RARA band! HQ REPRESENT!!!

The Stage on the route, and Parade Stage Remains. The show in the Park will now also feature a Fireworks Display, 2 Haitian Groups and one St Lucian group. So far Booked Acts for the show are Bunji & Asylum and Fay-ANN Lyons. Of course others will be added as time progresses.

What wowed me about this info is that targeted ADVERTISING packages will be circulated in Brazilian and Haitian communities about Carnival. Which is something that i thought should have happened AGES ago - this will broaden our audience.

Yes Natural Freaks will be back in the parade. Under Manners, yes, Must conform to COSTUME standards, yes...but Back.

ALSO

Get this..
PRIZE MONIES WERE HANDED OUT!! heh heh..inside joke...Big Things Big Things.


Finally the date of the Official Miami Carnival Launch was Decided..

August 9th, 2008
SAVE THE DATE!!
More info when i Get it.

Countdown Begins!!