Ten thousand revellers and 22 registered bands are expected to flood the streets tomorrow for the climax of the 2026 Crop Over Festival.
FLOW 5G+Grand Kadooment will once again feature both heritage and party bands with only heritage bands competing for the festival’s coveted titles, as organisers continue with changes first introduced last year to improve the flow of the parade and enhance the overall experience for masqueraders.
Festival and Events Planner at the National Cultural Foundation (NCF) Stacia Bryan, said participation remained steady when compared with last year, reflecting sustained interest in Barbados’ premier masquerade event.
With so many revellers expected to take to the streets, organisers are also banking on an extensive security operation to ensure this year’s festival concludes safely. The Barbados Police Service and the Barbados Defence Force have mounted a joint security plan that includes drone and CCTV surveillance, high-visibility patrols, checkpoint screening, traffic diversions, rapid response teams and medical support along the route.
Since only the eight competing heritage bands will be assessed by judges tomorrow, the party bands will focus entirely on delivering the road experience for revellers.
The judging changes were first introduced last year following consultations between the NCF, the Barbados Association of Masqueraders (BAM) and independent bandleaders. Organisers concluded that removing party bands from competition would reduce congestion on the route after previous years had been plagued by lengthy delays as larger bands paused for judging presentations.
Instead of competing for prize money, party bands receive an enhanced participation subvention. That initiative, introduced last year, continues this year.
Under the NCF’s subvention programme, each registered heritage band receives $20 000 towards start-up and production costs, while party bands receive $27 500.
Although only heritage bands are judged, the competition remains fiercely contested with several prestigious awards up for grabs.
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