Trinidad Carnival 2012: D'Krewe Carnival theme PANACHE...PICTURES!

From the band's launch last night, first launch of the 2012 season in Trinidad!

Launch pics first seen on D'krewe's site:

Followed by TrinidadCarnivalDiary's post that more pics are located here! See album screenshots below for preview!  Don't forget to use OAnda's Currency Converter to figure out how much the Trini dollars (TTD) are in USD!

Quick picks (all photos from here)
Best frontlines so far:

Best backlines (I'm biased towards large headpieces but this first one is nice!):

Best male costumes:

Trinidad Carnival 2012: Sneak Peek from Trinidad Events of D'Krewe's PANACHE Launch Happening NOW!

Launches going on fast and furious all this summer and fall for Trinidad Carnival 2012! (Remember to check the launch updates post for info as it comes available.)

Check out the sneak peek below of a couple D'Krewe Carnival costumes from Trinidad Events!  I was trying to keep an open mind (not to mention calm and cool) but that white and gold have me excited already! Gotta love a large headpiece!!

Trinidad Carnival 2012: Launch Updates...D'Krewe, YUMA,and more!

***KEEP CHECKING BACK FOR UPDATES***

Pictures of costumes from each launch collected in one post: CLICK HERE!

D'Krewe Carnival is launching next Saturday, June 18th!  

Hoping it's a live streaming launch!

**UPDATE** Spice sent to my old email address... 

Spice Carnival is launching Saturday, July 9th!

Spice Carnival presents our 2012 Presentation

THE NEW WORLD

Saturday 9th July, 2011

Westside, Trinidad.
...
THIS IS A COOLER EVENT. YOU MUST WEAR WHITE!

Tickets on sale at Spice Mas Camp and Spice committee members from Friday 10th June.

Mas Camp Hours
Monday-Friday: 12pm -4pm
Saturday: 12pm-4pm

Ticket Hotline: 222-0475

Ltd. Advance $160.

Secured parking available.

Check us on facebook for more info and dont forget to follow us on Twitter. #SpiceCarnival

Are you a registered Spicequerader? Get your masquerader / early bird tickets at the Mascamp $150.00.

TRIBE Carnival is launching Saturday, July 23rd!

Check out TRIBE's Facebook for more info (and stay tuned for word on when their twin band, Bliss, launches as well).  Their website: http://www.carnivaltribe.com

Oasis Carnival is launching Friday, August 5th!

Dreamteam Carnival is launching Saturday August 6th!

Harts, meanwhile, has yet to release a launch date but we know the theme!

***UPDATE 6/26/11***They have now released a launch date: 

Harts is launching Friday August 12th!

from Harts facebook

YUMA gave us a suspense-filled tweet on their soon-to-be-released launch date and WHAT exactly that hint image of their theme stands for!

So far the only hint we have of the theme is:

***UPDATE 6/13/11
YUMA is launching Saturday August 13!***

Ronnie and Caro is launching Thursday, August 18th!

Trinidad Carnival 2012 Band Launch: D'Krewe Carnival Theme PANACHE Saturday June 19!

WHAT?!  What's that? Somebody launching ALREADY?  Yep!  They launched too late last year and I know I for one complained...now, they are ON IT!

RSVP to the band launch event on Facebook!

I've made several other posts on D'Krewe before and their customer service...the costume distribution was chaotic this year but the customer service through it all was friendly and helpful, just like they had been with me since 2009 before even meeting me!  Definitely recommend this band if it's your first time in Trinidad and you don't want a HUGE band overwhelming you (about 700 strong in 2011) or you just want a band where by the end of Carnival Monday it's like that show Cheers "sometimes you wanna go, where everybody knows your name!" :)

I suggest for faster service with your costume on collection day, pay in FULL (or pay the remaining balance off completely) BEFORE the week of carnival.

MANNNNN we've barely recovered from TNT 2011 and 2k12 band launches are already on the way!  I'm trying NOT to say I'm there for sure 2012 cause my homeland (JAMAICA) calling my name later this year and next year BUT! lol I'll definitely be keeping my eye on the offerings for 2012 and seeing what costume (if any) says, like Iwer George, "COME TO MEH"!

Now wondering what the 2012 theme PANACHE is all about!  Cause I sure remember what the 2011 theme RHYTHMS was all about!

Trinidad Carnival 2011: Day 6--Carnival Tuesday! (D'Krewe Carnival, YUMA, etc.)

Trinidad Carnival 2011: Day 6--Carnival Tuesday! (D'Krewe Carnival, YUMA, etc.)

Pictures AND videos!

I heard I have the most pics of D'Krewe...I think they should just go ahead and give me a free costume for next year and make me the official photographer cause boy...I got it IN! :)

Trinidad Carnival 2011: Day 5--Carnival Monday (J'ouvert & Monday Mas!)

Trinidad Carnival 2011: Day 5--Carnival Monday (J'ouvert & Monday Mas!)

Pictures AND videos!

More J'ouvert pics later, I had camera issues as stated before and could NOT take my phone out to get chocolate on it! I took a waterproof camera but of course those pics are not developed yet.  Stay tuned!

Mas with D'Krewe Carnival.

D'krewe Boots: Tempo!

Hmmmmmmmmm....

Costume: D'krewe's section Tempo; Boots: Ebay

Tempo; boots: DSW.com

Trinidad Carnival 2011 and Jamaica Carnival 2011 Updates!

• YUMA has released the 2011 costume collection schedule--band members check your email or contact info@yumavibe.com!  Masqueraders IN Trinidad must pickup on the scheduled days for each section, and the mas camp is CLOSED Carnival Friday.  Masqueraders abroad can have someone pickup their costume on their behalf (see the email for documentation needed!) or pickup on Carnival Saturday, March 6, 2011 (please note the Mas Camp open/close TIMES!).

• Bacchanal Jamaica is now selling tickets to Jamaica Carnival's official opening night at Mas Camp, as well as season passes.  From Facebook: 

Tickets for Mas Camp are $1000 AT GATE / $800 PRESOLD - Season passes for all 9 are $12,000 - Appleton and Smirnoff: $1000 will get you 7 drink chits.  

They are also now on twitter!  @BacchanalJa

• D'Krewe has a Facebook photo album tour of the mas camp up so you can see both outside and in!

• DreamTeam Carnival announced which sections are NOT sold out:

• TRIBE announced TRIBE Ignite, an annual carnival Thursday (Thursday before carnival) fete:

• IslandPeople announced their fast-track pre-payment deadline for the full balance of costumes is Saturday, February 19th:

• HARTS reminds their masqueraders that the pre-payment deadline is (coincidentally) February 19th:

• Ronnie & Caro says the whole band will be wearing ORANGE on carnival Monday:

• Roam Mas is giving everyone a chance to win a free costume!

And I'm sure there's more, but I've been sick all weekend and need to rest my head for a back-to-gym session in the morning! :-)