After 15 years absent from Barbados’ iconic national Crop Over Festival, the grand tradition of large-scale masquerade costumes is poised for a vibrant comeback, spearheaded by the National Cultural Foundation (NCF) through a targeted new revitalization initiative.
Large masquerade, or “Large Mas’”, was last showcased competitively as part of the festival’s Kings and Queens of the Bands competition, which was held alongside the popular Cohobblopot show until its cancellation in 2009. Back then, the long-running event was discontinued amid growing concerns over declining participant numbers and a perceived drop in the quality of large costumes entering the competition. Rather than immediately reviving the cutthroat competitive format, the NCF took a collaborative, inclusive approach to rebuilding the tradition from the ground up. The organization put out an open call for costume concept proposals across six carefully curated thematic areas, inviting designers and creative teams of all backgrounds to submit their ideas.
The call for submissions, accompanied by official Terms of Reference circulated in May, drew an enthusiastic response: 19 distinct proposals were received from 14 different designers and collectives, spanning a wide range of ages and professional experience levels. Every submission reflected a deep, shared passion for the Large Mas’ art form and its irreplaceable role in Barbados’ most celebrated cultural festival. To evaluate the proposals, the NCF assembled an expert panel of three former chief judges of the Kadooment parade, the closing event of Crop Over: Omowale Stewart, Joan Cuffy, and Khalil Goodman. After rigorous assessment across the six thematic categories, the panel selected one winning concept for each theme to move into full production.
Carol Roberts, Chief Executive Officer of the NCF, emphasized that the initiative centers the deep cultural value and untapped creative potential that Large Mas’ brings to the Crop Over Festival. “The six themes selected for the design of these costumes celebrate our history, our heritage and the spirit of the festival,” Roberts explained. “Each designer has been challenged to produce a costume that reflects their unique perspective, sustainability and innovation. I am truly looking forward to the end results of this initiative.”
To build on the renewed public and creative interest in Large Mas’, the NCF also partnered with the Pinelands Creative Workshop to host a specialized Wire Bending Workshop held between May 21 and 26. The hands-on training session was led by Valentine Jerry, a veteran Trinidadian carnival arts educator based at the Carnival Yard Campus of the University of the West Indies Trinidad and Tobago. The workshop gave emerging and practicing designers direct, practical training in the core technical skills required to build structurally sound, elaborate large masquerade costumes, strengthening local capacity in the cultural creative sector.
Andrea Wells, Chief Cultural Officer of Barbados, framed the initiative as a long-awaited return to one of Crop Over’s most impressive showcases of creative skill and imagination. “The 2026 Large Mas Project is a return to a showcase of some of our designers’ most exciting challenges of the season,” Wells noted. “The six designers selected represent three generations of masquerade practice, so we’re looking forward to their output in this project.”
The six selected winning designs span themes central to Barbadian identity, history, and culture: King of Crop Over Trevor Chase designed *Keeper of the Canes*; Neil Stanley, a former Queen of Crop Over, created *Queen of Crop Over*; Harding Gordon Ashby submitted *Harding’s Fiery March Kaiso; Kaiso, Kaiso Emancipation*; Troy Burgess’ concept is titled *Rise of the Ancestors*; and the team of Wayne Smith and Adrian Burnett designed *Continuum: Folklore to Future* to mark Barbados’ 60th anniversary of independence.
The NCF describes the 2026 Large Mas Project as a critical first step toward encouraging broader creative participation in the tradition, while honoring the artistry, centuries-long history, and dramatic spectacle that have been integral to the Crop Over Festival for generations. Beyond reviving a beloved cultural practice, the foundation’s core goals include supporting both established veteran designers and emerging new talent, strengthening technical skills across the local creative community, and ensuring that future generations of Barbadians can experience the unmatched grandeur and cultural significance of Large Mas’ in Barbados.