Under the warm Jamaican sun, thousands of costumed revellers took to the streets for the annual GenXs Carnival parade on Sunday, drawing first-time participants, long-time Carnival fans and international visitors united by a shared love of soca music, celebration and community. For many attendees, this year’s event carried far more meaning than just a day of dancing and revelry, serving as a powerful symbol of the island’s resilience following a devastating natural disaster one year prior.
For married couple Latara and Nicholi Stevens, Sunday marked a meaningful new chapter in their years-long Carnival tradition. The pair had attended the annual celebration since they were dating, and for years before their wedding they had chosen to parade with a different competing band. This year, however, they made the deliberate decision to switch and join the GenXs procession – and neither had any regrets about their choice.
“I am so excited to be here – this is my first time jumping with GenXs, and I could not be happier,” Latara Stevens told the Jamaica Observer in an on-site interview. “I have always loved Carnival and soca music. We have been coming to this festival every year since before we got married, and it is such a special joy to be able to share this experience with my husband right here, right now.”
Nicholi Stevens echoed his wife’s enthusiasm, noting that the couple’s love for soca runs so deep that they walked down the aisle to a piano arrangement of *Hello*, a popular soca track from artist collective Kestheband. He added that the event fell just days after the couple’s third wedding anniversary, making their first GenXs experience an even more memorable celebration of their marriage and shared hobby. “We usually stick with another band, but this year we decided to shake things up, and the energy GenXs brings is incredible,” he explained. “It’s just such a wonderful feeling getting to enjoy Carnival with my wife. This is a tradition we’ve kept up every year for longer than we’ve been married, and I wouldn’t trade it for anything.”
For Nickesha Roach, a professional chef and seasoned Carnival attendee, simply having the event go ahead this year was a victory in itself. Last October, Category 5 Hurricane Melissa tore across Jamaica, leaving widespread destruction across large swathes of the island and casting deep uncertainty over whether 2024’s Carnival could proceed as planned. For Roach, the packed streets and smiling faces on Sunday were a powerful testament to Jamaica’s resilience.
Standing out in her vivid, handcrafted Carnival costume, Roach said she could not have been happier to see the festival move forward after a challenging year. “This is not my first Carnival, but this year feels different,” she shared. “After Hurricane Melissa hit, we weren’t even sure if anything like this could happen this year. Having Carnival go ahead gives us all hope – it shows the whole country is bouncing back strong. This event brings so many visitors to our island, it boosts our local economy, and that matters so much to all of us right now. The energy on the road is amazing, I love the music and all the beautiful costumes – it just doesn’t get better than this.”
The draw of Jamaica’s unique Carnival vibe brought attendees from across the globe this year, including Rosa Salinas, an Australian national who currently resides in Manchester, England. Salinas had previously participated in Carnival celebrations in Trinidad and Tobago, but said she had dreamed of experiencing Jamaica’s take on the festival for years – and it exceeded every one of her expectations.
“I’ve always wanted to do Carnival in Jamaica, and so far it’s the best Carnival I’ve ever been to,” Salinas said. “I love everything about it – the Jamaican food, the warm hospitality of the people here, the infectious soca music, even this gorgeous weather. I made a new friend here from Puerto Rico on this trip, and she’s loving every minute of it too.”
For Lori Brown, a Jamaican-born participant who now lives in Connecticut in the United States, Sunday marked her very first Carnival experience at any event, and she jumped at the chance to check it off her bucket list when her friends invited her to join GenXs. “Costumes and all the associated fees do add up to quite a bit of money, but it’s totally worth it,” she explained. “I love trying new experiences, my friends really wanted to come, so here I am – and I’m loving every second.”
Even for repeat GenXs participants like Dr. Rebecca Waugh, this year’s event delivered the same electrifying energy that keeps her coming back. Waugh, a mental health professional with a doctorate in healthcare administration who now lives abroad, returns to Jamaica every Easter specifically for Carnival, combining the festival with a visit to her father, who still lives in her hometown of St Mary. This year marked her third time parading with GenXs, and she said the band has never let her down.
“Carnival is actually what brings me back to Jamaica every year,” Waugh explained. “GenXs is number one – they always bring incredible energy, and this year was no exception. I work in the mental health sector, so I know better than anyone how important it is to prioritize mental well-being. Your mental health impacts every part of your overall health, and taking time to do things that bring you joy is a critical form of self-care. Being here at Carnival with everyone? This is my self-care, and it doesn’t get better than this.”
Across the parade route, stories of new adventures, long-held traditions and shared resilience echoed the overarching mood of this year’s GenXs Carnival: a celebration of joy, connection and the unbreakable spirit of Jamaica.