The annual Grand Kadooment parade, the centerpiece of Barbados’ iconic Crop Over festival, kicked off this year with a vibrant, purpose-driven opening led by the Walk Holy Band, the group that has claimed the spot as the very first band on the parade route for decades.
For Sean “Apache” Carter, a longstanding leader of the Walk Holy Band, holding that opening spot is far more than a ceremonial honor—it is a deliberate choice that reflects the group’s core values and unique place in Barbadian cultural life. When organizers offered the band the option to enter a competition for a alternate preferred pulling position, the group unanimously voted to decline the offer and keep their historic post at the front of the procession.
“To us, this position is very important,” Carter explained in an interview on the parade route ahead of the event. “We had two paths: compete for a different starting spot, or stay on as the first band out. We chose to stay. This is who we are.”
Beyond tradition, Carter emphasized that the decision was rooted in the band’s desire to protect its distinct identity and steer clear of the interpersonal and inter-group rivalry that often emerges around parade positioning negotiations. Unlike many festival bands that center elaborate costumes and competitive performance, the Walk Holy Band frames its participation as a celebration of faith, community service, and cultural heritage, a mission that sets it apart from other participating groups.
“We don’t want to get tangled up in competition and rivalry that takes away from what we’re here to do,” Carter said. “Our band is distinct, and that’s how we want to keep it.”
The group’s place in the Crop Over line-up has not been without criticism from some festival goers who argue that a faith-based group does not belong in the secular, raucous celebration of Grand Kadooment. But Carter pushed back on that perspective gently, noting that differing perspectives are an expected part of any large cultural event.
“Everyone is entitled to their own opinion, and that’s all those views are—opinions,” he said. “At this point, Walk Holy Band is a meaningful, permanent part of our national culture, and that can’t be ignored.”
With 24 consecutive years of participation in Crop Over under its belt, the Walk Holy Band has built a loyal following that extends far beyond its own members. Every year, in addition to leading the parade and leading communal worship from their float, the group distributes free care packages to attendees and community residents—an initiative that has become one of the most anticipated parts of the festival for many locals.
“Every year when we hit the road, we see just how excited people are for what we bring,” Carter noted. “It’s not just from our own band members, or even people who join us in worship on the truck. It’s from everyone who looks forward to the care packages, everyone who’s come to see us as a regular part of the day.”
For Carter, the Walk Holy Band has grown beyond a single section of the Grand Kadooment parade into an institution that anchors the entire festival. “I truly believe we’re a staple of Crop Over, and a staple of Grand Kadooment,” he said. “My only hope is that the younger generation will step up when we’re gone, and keep this legacy going for decades more.”