SCHEDULED to begin at 11 am, the parade of the bands in San Fernando only kicked off after 1 pm on March 4. But despite this, judges said the turnout was larger than last year, and police said it was incident free.

A total of 15 bands had an opportunity to impress the judges with their vibrant, colourful displays just outside the Southern Academy for the Performing Arts (SAPA).

Jagessar Costumes was the first band to make its way to the judging point with its theme Red Clouds Over The South. Bandleader of the veteran fancy Indian band Lionel Jagessar Jnr paid tribute to his father, the late Lionel Jagessar Snr with some of the sections.

Jagessar Snr, a legendary masman, died in 2022 at age 74.

They were followed by Southern Mas Associates’ Native Gathering 2025 whose theme was titled Fancy Indians, and then Apache New Generation with Fancy Indian.

A four-year-old boy, Maison Samuel, stole the show during Southern Mas Associates’ presentation as he was singing along to Machel Montano’s Pardy and dancing like a seasoned masman.

[caption id="attachment_1142460" align="alignnone" width="684"] Four-year-old Maison Samuel from the Southern Mas Associates presentation Native Gathering 2025 was seen singing and dancing to Machel Montano's Pardy. - Photo by Innis Francis[/caption]

But after these two bands, there was an hour-plus wait for the next band to reach the judges.

Some grew weary and complained, especially as no seating is provided for observers in San Fernando. Several people opted to sit on the ground or concrete barriers after standing for too long.

Chief judge Ancil Rooplal said he would like to see bleachers installed moving forward to provide comfort to viewers.

He also would like to see a stage as opposed to the revellers just running on the road at the judging point. His vision, he said, is for a “hub” to be implemented.

He added that the number of masqueraders this year is “much more,” adding that there were “thousands at Monday night mas (in San Fernando).

“Carnival in San Fernando is coming, it is here and it is alive and well.”

On the request for bleachers, San Fernando mayor Robert Parris said the city corporation “could always do more to improve on the product.

“(It) was always something in mind but keep in mind, we working within a budget. So as we raise money, we certainly will look at continuing to build so we can improve and have bleachers.”

He also believed the late end to Monday night mas, which he said was “the biggest in the history of San Fernando,” could have caused the late start on Tuesday.

“I’m very satisfied. (There was) only the incident (Monday) with Mr Little. That put a damper on the Carnival. I knew him personally, and a lot of people know him and it was really sad…I send my condolences out to his family.”

[caption id="attachment_1142457" align="alignnone" width="1024"] This masquerader from the Kalicharan Mas presentation Aroma, dropped to the floor in a split to Machel Montano's road march contender Pardy at the judging point at SAPA, San Fernan