Upholding Belize’s Carnival Culture of Fifty Years

In tonight’s installment of Kolcha Tuesday, we hit the rewind button to Saturday’s festivities across Belize City. The day began at four a.m. with the annual J’ouvert. It was all about the mud, paint and energy. As the day progressed, spectators and revelers alike lined Marine Parade and Princess Margaret Drive for the 2025 Carnival Road March. The emphasis was on vibrant costumes, and everyone involved having the time of their lives. News Five’s Paul Lopez reports.

 

Paul Lopez, Reporting

The streets of Belize City came alive over the weekend with the annual J’ouvert and Carnival Road March. The Belize Carnival Association is celebrating fifty years of carnival in Belize, a historic milestone for organizers, revelers and spectators alike. The day began at four a.m. with party goers gathering at the Marion Jones Sporting Complex and making their way through Belize City, ending on Marine Parade. Paint, powder, mud and energy were the order of the morning. This was the biggest j’ouvert ever to hit the streets.

 

Belize City Resident #1

“J’ouvert 2024, I am here with my aunt and we are enjoying myself. We are looking energy. Hold the water. Tomorrow dah my neighbor birthday and we the guh on bad, me, mih nephew and my daughter.”

 

Belize City Resident #2

“Very powerful and I like to see my people come out and enjoy themselves. This is the biggest J’ouvert I ever see.”

 

Hundreds of people packed the streets, following behind several trucks that carried sound systems blasting music to keep spirits high.

 

Belize City Resident #3

“I must say I myself was surprised to see the crowd and I noticed a lot of Belizean Americans came home. I see a lot of them in the J’ouvert. So, J’ouvert is growing every year.”

 

And no J’ouvert morning is not complete without taking a dip in the Caribbean Sea to wash off the mud and powder built up from hours of nonstop partying. But the day’s activities were only getting started. The afternoon brought with it the start of the highly anticipated Carnival Road March 2025. Revelers lined up at Memorial Park and got on their way at two p.m.

 

Amir Charlie, Band Director, Ambassador Marching Band

“Well this is the first year we are participating. But we play at different carnivals, Corozal, Orange Walk.”

 

Paul Lopez

“What made you decide to participate this year?”

 

Amir Charlie

“Well, we got an invitation and because we heard people are saying the band the stin, so we were invited to this carnival.”

 

Stanley Lizama, Carnival Marshal

“My dressing I am the first carnival king in 1995 and I win up to 2022.”

 

Paul Lopez

“How proud you feel?”

 

Stanley Lizama

“I feel proud because I was disqualified, because they said my costume was made in Trinidad and it was made in technical college and the next day Belize win the road march.”

 

Across the eight-mile route, revelers drew the attention of spectators with their vibrant costumes and colorful personalities. It was eight miles of dancing, good music and nonstop fun under the sweltering sun. This is the carnival culture that Belize has harnessed for the past five decades. The route even provided an opportunity for boaters to view the carnival from the sea.

 

Pauline Bradley, Band Leader, Soca Massive

“This year we don’t only want to celebrate the fifty years of Carnival. We want to celebrate the entire Belize. We have the blue hole, the barrier reef, the maya ruin, plus a section that is the ethnic group. All the races in Belize are in the section with the ethnic group.”

 

Ernestine Carballo, Belizean Artist

“Let me model my Soca Moca costume for you all. I am with the four peat champions of the road, Soca Moca. And you know it is my biggest year so, I said I have to come out and celebrate fifty years of carnival in Belize.”

 

Paul Lopez

“How yo the feel?”

 

Trench Town Reveler

“Good because I am with Trench Town and we always enjoy ourselves. We nuh worry bout win.”

 

Paul Lopez

“How you feeling right now love?”

 

Belizean Jewel Reveler

“I feel good, cause Belizean Jewels all the way.”

 

Paul Lopez

“How you still have energy.”

 

Belizean Jewel Reveler

“Because, Belizean Jewels all the way.”

Soca Moca was declared the 2025 Carnival Road March Senior Champions. Soca Massive secured the Road March Championship in the junior category. Reporting for News Five, I am Paul Lopez.