This year’s Crop Over season has once again come to a close, with revelers creating a sea of colours as they paraded on the road on Monday, Kadooment Day 2019. After weeks of several fetes, cruises, work limes and cultural exhibitions, the cultural extravaganza that is Crop Over has finally passed its climatic day.

 

On Monday, with blistering heat from the Caribbean sun, and at times, chilling pouring rain, revelers were not phrased as they excitedly made their way down the road to the newly renamed Mighty Grynner Highway. They came from across the region, and around the world with their fully outfitted beautiful costumes and took their positions in the National Botanical Gardens as they awaited the greenlight for their individual bands to begin their trek to the judges, and eventually down the road.

One cannot overstate how unforgiving the sun was during the beginning half of the day, with hardly a cloud to be seen, however, revelers embraced the weather fully, and even gained more energy when the rains finally came. It was truly a sight to behold. It seems like band leaders this year went all out in the use of feather work and punchy colours, as many of the designs took on a modern yet vivid kaleidoscopic looks. Despite the usual setbacks with bands making their way slowly down to the Might Grynner Highway, this year many spectators vocally commented on how impressed they were with many of the designs on display.

 

Though crowd  was not the biggest as seen in the last decade, Kadooment day was still however well attended.

In looking back at the 2019 Crop Over season, one most acknowledge the various activities for the entire family to enjoy. We cannot forget ‘Festive Fridays’; ‘RISE Together’ which saw many of the local and regional artists coming together for one night of partying in unity; ‘Tipsy’, the all-white affair, which sold out once again with acts such as Kes the Band being the headliner; ‘Soca On The Hill’ which also brought some of the regions soca powerhouse together ; and the ‘Soca Monarch Competition’, though not hyped up this year because of the changes behind the scenes, but was still pretty well attended.

 

Crop Over 2019 Winners

• Soca Monarch: Mikey Mercer with ‘Action Time Again”
• Tune of The Crop (Road March):  Leadpipe with ‘Sometime’
• Bashment Soca Monarch: SK, and  King Bubba.
• Best Festival Designer in the Republic Bank Grand Kadooment: Kevin Small of Fifth Element Mas with presentation “De Gold Coast”

Now we look forward to Crop Over 2020; the Barbados Government has been promising big things for next year’s celebrations, saying they hope to see a full year of major events on the island. Because of that promise, we can accept to see an even bigger, better, Crop Over season on the horizon.