Sargeant is executive director and a founding member of the D.C. Caribbean Carnival (www.dccaribbeancarnival.org), now in its 19th year of operation. The parade on Saturday runs along Georgia Avenue from Kansas Avenue to Bryant Street and, keeping with the Trinidadian tradition, participants will once again don mud, along with colorful costumes. What makes yours different than other parades?
We have a unique product here where everyone can come out and have a great time in a safe event and truly represent all that is Caribbean. We’re talking about English-, French- and Spanish-speaking Caribbean all in one day.
How did a smaller budget change things?
We actually had to scale back the event. The parade is shorter than normal. We’re hoping that we’d be able to get over this hurdle and go back to the original program. We’ve never had this challenge before. The scale is pretty much intact. We still have over 25 participating groups.
Do you plan to return to the original route next year?
We are hoping for the best. If we can raise enough funds, then we should be OK. We can try and fight as hard as we can
How can the public join in on Saturday?
It’s still not too late for this year [for musical groups]. We go down to the wire. Masqueraders mean you just put on a costume and you just have a good time.
What do you imagine for the future of the event?
I would hope to see a continual growth for the event and a better appreciation from the city itself to make it permanent fixture. And for the city to cover the necessary the overheard to put on such an event. It’s expensive.
When do preparations begin for the 2012 event?
The minute one event is over, we start for next year. It’s a continuous process. It never stops.
Amy Myers
