The annual Lucian Carnival drew to a close on Tuesday in the capital city of Castries, capping off a vibrant two-day parade celebration that brought together thousands of masqueraders, spectators, and high-profile guests. The final day of festivities centered on the hotly contested “Mas on the Move” category, where all 10 competing marching bands traversed the route from the starting point in Choc to the downtown Castries finish line. The procession kicked off shortly before 11 a.m., and by 4:30 p.m., every band had completed the route into the city, marking the end of the competitive segment.
Monday marked the first official day of competitive parading, when bands showcased their elaborate full costume designs for judges. Adjudicators evaluated entries across a range of award categories, including the prestigious Band of the Year, Section of the Year, and Individual of the Year, among other honors. For the second day of celebrations on Tuesday, event organizers adopted a relatively new trend borrowed from neighboring Trinidad, where most revellers trade heavy, intricate full costumes for more casual “Tuesday wear” to stay comfortable amid tropical temperatures.
The closing parade was officially scheduled to conclude at 7 p.m., but the vast majority of bands had already made their way back to the starting point hours ahead of the official end time. Local law enforcement reported that the entire two-day celebration unfolded largely without major disruption, with no serious violent incidents or large-scale disturbances recorded across the event route. While the event stayed peaceful, local Fire and Emergency Services teams did respond to multiple calls for assistance each day, most involving common festival-related medical issues: dehydration, alcohol-related ailments, falls, and minor traffic collisions.
This year’s competition for the top Band of the Year title featured 10 local entries: Fuzion Mas, Xuvo Carnival Band, Tribe of Twel, Just 4 Fun, Local Foreigners, Royalites Xtreme, Xpressions Carnival Band, Island Tribe, Nexus Mas, and Legends Carnival Band. Two groups stood out for their size: Just 4 Fun and Xuvo Carnival Band each fielded more than 2,000 participants, making them the largest marching contingents in this year’s parade. Beyond the local competitive bands, the 2025 Lucian Carnival also welcomed visiting performance groups from the French Antilles, alongside featured displays from traditional Caribbean performers including steelpan musicians and stiltwalkers that added cultural depth to the celebrations.
A slew of celebrity guests joined in the festivities this year, with R&B artist Chloe Bailey, reality TV star and singer Kandi Burrus, and iconic soca musician Machel Montano all taking part in the parade, with all three seen openly enjoying the vibrant Caribbean celebration. High-energy local hit songs kept crowds and revellers dancing throughout the two-day event, standouts included Tallyboy and Sedale’s viral track “Whistle”, Ezra’s “Salute”, Hollywood HP’s “Waite”, and Andrew’s “Biscuit”. The Carnival Planning and Management Committee (CPMC), the governing body that organizes the annual Lucian Carnival, announced that official results for all competitive categories, including the coveted Road March title, will be revealed to the public on Wednesday.