New Grand Kadooment route takes the lead by a smidge Loop Barbados

Black Immigrant Daily News

The verdict is out and a majority of Crop Over stakeholders are in support of keeping the new Warrens to Emancipation Statue route.

This is according to the Crop Over Festival Grand Kadooment survey conducted by the National Cultural Foundation (NCF).

The survey targeted three Grand Kadooment stakeholder groups: spectators, masqueraders and vendors and covered a broad review of the stakeholders’ assessment of the Crop Over climax event.

Of the stakeholder groups, 57.24 per cent were masqueraders, 36.65 per cent were spectators, and 6.11 per cent were vendors.

On the decision whether to return to the old route or not, a slim margin was recorded.

The new Warrens to the National Stadium route was favoured over the old National Stadium to the Mighty Grynner Highway route in all three categories polled: masqueraders, spectators and vendors.

Overall, 52.73 per cent of the total respondents preferred traversing this year’s route from Warrens to Emancipation Statue Route traversing to National Stadium while 47.29 per cent preferred the old route starting at the National Stadium to the Mighty Grynner Highway.

The breakdown included: 50.19 per cent of masqueraders preferred the new route with 49.81 per cent sticking to the old route. Of the spectators who took the questionnaire 53.80 per cent favour the new route while 46.20 per cent preferred the old route.

The vendors’ divide was 54.17 per cent for the new route and 45.83 per cent want to stay with the route that ends at Mighty Grynner Highway.

Some of the responses to the new route were: “The old route was great but I do believe we have outgrown it. The new route offered many locations where people could set up tents and sell items or make a family day out of it. Before we abandon it, I think we should give it another try when Crop Over is in full swing. This year was only a test run.”

“Kadooment 2023 on the “new” route will be better. More bands will participate, the route will accomdate (sic) larger capacity. Change is good, in this instance. Start the planning well in advance to give vendors, band leaders etc. enough time to participate.”

“And add more water stops along the route and on both sides if was not for the new route at first but after I participated I give it 80% rating.”

” I really love the new route. Please don’t go back.”

Some of the respondents also suggested extending the route to conclude to at the Mighty Grynner Highway.

” Another suggested route, Start at the stadium, along Waterford bottom onto highway, then to warrens, to uwi hill, onto mighty gryner (sic) highway, after party at Kensington.”

“Merge the old route and the route. Send the masquerades from Warrens to the stadium back to Warrens and down university hill and end at spring garden.”

The survey also included questions on participation in Crop Over 2022 and overall jump experience.

All stakeholders responded extremely positively to participating in the event again and weighted their overall experience with the event 6.80, 5.96, 5.57 out of 10 respectively.

Of the masqueraders – inclusive of revellers from all the NCF-registered bands – 47.84 per cent of those who jumped for Crop Over 2022 gave their experience a five-star rating, 34.90 per cent four-star, 12.16 per cent three-star, 3.53 per cent two-star and 1.57 pr cent one-star.

The Grand Kadooment Sweet Lime and After Party was also a hit with the majority of respondents calling for its return next year. When asked if the NCF should keep the event which was staged at Botanical Gardens, 83.86 per cent said yes while 16.14 per cent said no.

Minister in the Prime Minister’s Office with the responsibility for Culture, Dr Shantal Munro Knight indicated that the results of the survey will help the Ministry to conceptualise what Crop Over 2023 will look like.

“This is only the beginning of our stakeholder contributions. We now have to have to meet with other festival stakeholders for further consultations as we begin planning for the 2023 Crop Over Festival,” Dr Knight said in a statement issued on Tuesday.

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