A high-level delegation from St. Vincent and the Grenadines (SVG) led by Kaschaka Cupid, Minister of Sports, Culture and the Creative Industries, has wrapped up a working visit to New York focused on galvanizing international support for the 2027 edition of Vincymas, the country’s iconic national carnival, under the campaign banner “Road to 50”.
This trip marks the first major push in a broader outreach strategy to connect with the large Vincentian diaspora based in North America, boost global participation in the landmark 2027 celebrations, and lay early groundwork for a milestone commemoration: 50 years since Vincymas shifted from its traditional pre-Lenten timing to the popular June-July calendar it follows today.
The centerpiece of the New York visit was a formal media briefing hosted at the Consulate General of St. Vincent and the Grenadines by Consul General Roland “Patel” Matthews, which brought together key government, tourism, carnival, and diaspora leaders from SVG to share details of the 2027 planning with overseas communities.
Joining Minister Cupid at the briefing was Sharon Jones, Senior Advisor for Diaspora Affairs at SVG’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Trade, Foreign Investment and Diaspora Affairs. During the event, Jones’ department launched a new digital engagement tool: an official Diaspora Registration QR Code, designed to streamline data collection on overseas-based Vincentians, strengthen government connections to the diaspora, and create a centralized registry for future outreach initiatives.
A cross-sector delegation of SVG stakeholders participated in the briefing, including Richard MacLeish, the St. Vincent and the Grenadines Tourism Authority’s U.S. Director of Sales; Colin Graham, Deputy Chairman of the Carnival Development Corporation (CDC); Gary “Tunkak” Edwards, Representative for Vincy Day USA; and Atiba Williams, Chairman of the New York Vincymas Launch Committee. Additional delegation members included CDC CEO Rodney Small, National Lotteries Authority Board Chairperson Luann Haddaway, and Board Member Delisia DeFreitas.
Attendees used the briefing to underscore Vincymas’ outsized role in SVG’s national identity and economy, noting it stands as the country’s most prominent cultural event and makes major contributions to tourism revenue, the growth of the creative industries, small business entrepreneurship, and broad-based economic activity across the island nation.
Following the briefing, the delegation traveled to Long Island’s Heckscher State Park to take part in the annual Vincy Day USA Picnic, the largest annual gathering of Vincentians held outside of SVG’s borders. The event offered a rare opportunity for delegation members to connect directly with thousands of overseas Vincentians and supporters of the country, sharing firsthand the vision for the 2027 “Road to 50” festivities.
Through the “Road to 50” campaign, the CDC aims to deepen long-term ties with the global Vincentian diaspora, encouraging overseas community members to act as cultural ambassadors for Vincymas, return home for the 2027 milestone celebrations, and introduce SVG’s unique cultural offerings to new international audiences. Beyond celebration, the campaign also seeks to highlight the country’s rich cultural traditions — including soca music, masquerade, calypso, and steel pan performance — showcase its creative talent, heritage, and renowned hospitality, and expand Vincymas’ contribution to inclusive national development.
In an official press release following the visit, organizers confirmed the New York mission was deemed a clear success. The delegation achieved its core goals of holding direct, productive engagement with diaspora members, U.S.-based tourism and cultural stakeholders, and the Vincy Day USA Picnic organizing team, while delivering a consistent, clear message about the importance of the upcoming 2027 milestone. The release emphasized that the New York visit is just the opening phase of a multi-year global effort to build widespread excitement for what is set to be one of the most significant celebrations of Vincentian culture and creativity in the event’s modern history.