Carnival Kings and Queens Dazzle at 34th Annual Competition

The 2025 Carnival celebrations are in full swing. On Saturday night, the Belize Carnival Association hosted one of its main events for the season, the annual king and queen competition. This is the thirty-fourth running of the event and there was no shortage of creativity, energy and music to get anyone moving. This week on Kolcha Tuesday, we take you inside the glitz, glam, and fierce competition of the King and Queen Showdown, where creativity ruled the stage and new royalty was crowned. News Five’s Paul Lopez has the story.

 

Paul Lopez, Reporting

It was a night of pure Carnival magic at the Belize City Civic Center on Saturday, as the Thirty-fourth Annual Carnival King and Queen Competition lit up the stage with color, creativity, and culture. The evening kicked off with the prejudging segment, where each band got the chance to introduce their king and queen costumes, sharing names, concepts, and stories behind their stunning designs. A total of seven carnival bands brought their A-game, four in the senior category and three in the junior, giving us fourteen exquisite costumes that wowed both the judges and the crowd. From feathers to sequins, and themes that celebrated everything from heritage to fantasy, the competition was fierce, and the energy was electric.

 

Patrick Thompson, President, Belize Carnival Association

“Tonight is where you guys will see all these big costumes come to life. You will also see them on the road march on the sixth of September. Well I must say this year all the bands, and I must give them their kudos, all the bands stepped up their game and I must give them that big respect. And yes, the energy is as well another notch.”

 

In the senior category, four bands stepped up to the challenge. Those bands include Soca Moca with King Balix and Queen Mascardia.

 

Roy Briceno, Designer, Soca Moca

“So we pay homage to our country and this is one of the theme we have done in the past and we chose to bring it back to celebrate us as a country. The Queen Costume is the celebration of our fifty years of what carnival is in Belize. It shows our strength, the richness and the foundation of the five ladies that have been the pillar of what carnival is.”

 

Mother Nature Creation with King Zeburi and Queen Kalafiri.

 

Randell Lightburn, Reveler, Mother Nature Creation

“I mih feel alright. It was a beautiful feeling being out here in a different element and enjoying the vibe. The crowd mih nice and everybody alright, so I felt alright.”

 

Vanessa Williams, Reveler, Mother Nature Creation

“When it comes to Queen Kalafiri we face destruction and storm whereby King Zeburi is my king. He do protect me with his dream catchers.”

 

Trench Town Masqueraders brought King Kyanite and Queen Theia (Taya) to life.

 

Tyron Scott, Reveler, Trench Town Masqueraders

“Right now we the represent this gemstone in the honor of the late Leroy Green. The reason why we chose gems is because of fifty years of carnival.”

 

Kimara Flowers, Reveler, Trench Town Masqueraders

“Pink is the color of love and emotional healing, purple is the color of royalty, and silver is the color of positivity and grace.”

 

One of the standout moments from this year’s Carnival King and Queen Competition came courtesy of the Fort Street Revelers. Now, they may not have had the flashiest costumes on stage, but what they lacked in budget, they made up for in heart. Band Leader Leroy Smith shared that while their resources were limited, their spirit was anything but. They showed up, they competed, and they celebrated, proving that Carnival is just as much about unity and passion as it is about glitter and glam.

 

Leroy Smith, Bandleader, Fort Street Revelers

“At first I was shy because it is my first time. But someone spoke to me and the nervousness went away and I just gave it my all.”

 

Arnell Welcome, Reveler, Fort Street Revelers

“Representing my band and seeing the crowd motivates me and I am ready for carnival day.”

 

After a night of fierce competition and stunning costumes, Soca Moca’s King Balix and Mother Nature Creation’s Queen Kalifi were crowned the 2025 Senior Carnival King and Queen. In the junior category, Sunshine Masqueraders stole the spotlight, taking home both titles with King Embercrest and Queen Zantara. Seven bands brought the energy, but only four walked away with the crowns.

 

Jeannine Young, Band Leader, Sunshine Masqueraders

“The queen costume is Queen Zantara, she is the queen of the honeybees and with her costume she is in the luscious rainforest which her skirt piece depict. The king is King Embercrest, he is the ruler of the seahorse under the sea.”

The 2025 Carnival Road March is scheduled for September sixth. All these bands and their regal costumes will be on full display.  Reporting for News Five, I am Paul Lopez.