Experience prevails at Dimanche Gras

Chalkdust beat Cro Cro to win Calypso Monarch, and Curtis Eustace beat Roland St George to be King of Carnival. With the two same winners from last year’s competitions, it was a case of experience winning out. These were the two dramatic showdowns at Dimanche Gras on Sunday night. The 12 finalists competing to be Calypso Monarch were mostly veterans, with the only newcomer to the national scene being Leslie-Ann Ellis, a known champion in Tobago. The most seasoned veteran, and many-times past Monarch, Chalkdust, was victorious.

Likewise, the King of Carnival was won by perennial champion Curtis Eustace. Pamela Gordon won Carnival Queen with “Fly High Pretty Butterfly.” Fancy Indians, pretty mas, and jouvert were the traditions of Carnival whose characters launched this year’s Dimanche Gras show. The Queen’s Park Savannah’s Grand Stand and North Stand were full of locals and visitors Sunday evening. Despite a very fast-paced presentation of Kings and Queens costumes, the show went until about 2 am.