With EC$300,000 allocated for marketing Vincy Mas, the Carnival Development Cooperation, CDC would be ensuring that the festival lives up to this year’s theme: “Power of Culture, Spirit of Fun – 30 years in the July Sun.”

Marketing advisor to the CDC, Hans King announced at a press conference held last Tuesday that $100,000 of the allocated funds would be used in local marketing, which would include billboards, trinkets, the electronic and print media. He said extreme marketing would also target the regional as well as the international markets.{{more}}

The marketing advisor also said that travel agencies and LIAT flights would also be filled with information about the festival.

Chairman of CDC Dennis Ambrose unveiled the Vincy Mas poster which was designed by Nadia Huggins and the theme which was penned by Monty Fraser. Ambrose said the theme and poster for this year capture the vitality of the festival which runs from Friday June 29-Tuesday July 10.

Ambrose also expressed his gratitude to the Ministry of Tourism and the Republic of China on Taiwan for printing the view cards, which were designed by Shaun Young. Ambrose presented the four distinct cards to the media, which depicted aspects of mas, pan, calypso and beauty pageants.

The CDC Chairman said that with Cricket World Cup in March, Vincy Mas would get some promotion since they are hoping to surpass the 11,300 visitors last year.

He also expressed hope that travelers would not be discouraged by the hike in airfare prices but invest their money in getting found memories from the festival.

Minister of Culture Rene Baptiste continued to hail this country a trend setter in carnival with many of her regional countries changing their festival to the June/July season, marketing their festivals when international cricket approaches and printing similar view cards.

Baptiste said that she would be lobbying for special packages in airline tickets for travelers and also made a strong plea with businesses to support the festival.

Newly elected Public Relations Office of the Calypsonians Association Shernelle Williams assured the public that five calypso tents would be ready for the festival while President of the Youlou Pan Movement Warren Knights announced that there would be 10 steel bands in the junior competition and five in the senior category.

Chairman of Pan, Calypso and Mas Hugh Ragguette announced that 12 costume bands would take to the streets and that several mas tents have already been launched so that masqueraders could get an early glimpse of the costumes.

Vincy Mas would officially be launched on May 5 and the winner of the New Song Competition who sings on the bicentennial of the abolition of the slave trade would get an additional $1,000.