Machel Montano Brings Trinidad Carnival To Central Park For Two Sold-Out Nights

By NAN ET EDITOR, NewsAmericas Now

News Americas, NEW YORK, NY, Mon. August 10, 2026: Thousands of Caribbean nationals and soca fans packed into Central Park’s Rumsey Playfield this past weekend as Trinidad’s “Soca King,” Machel Montano, brought his “This Is The Encore” tour to New York City for two high-energy nights, August 8 and 9, as part of Central Park SummerStage‘s 40th season.

Flags from Trinidad, Guyana, St. Kitts, St. Vincent, Grenada, Puerto Rico and Brazil waved throughout the crowd as Montano delivered hit after hit, backed by special guests including Skinny Fabulous and Full Blown, transforming the Manhattan park into a stretch of Trinidad Carnival for two straight evenings.

The tour’s name is no accident. Montano claimed his 12th Road March championship at Carnival 2026 for the song “Encore,” breaking his previous tie with legendary calypsonian Lord Kitchener to become the outright record holder for the most Road March wins in Trinidad Carnival history.

Machel Montano brought Trinidad Carnival to Central Park for two sold-out nights of his “This Is The Encore” tour

“Central Park, THANK YOU!!! Day 1 was pure LOVE!!! The crowd was loud, the vibes were high, and the whole park was movin and jammin,” Montano posted following the first night’s show.

The Central Park run adds to a milestone year for Montano, who became the first soca artist to perform on NPR’s Tiny Desk in January 2026, recorded the same day he sold out Washington, D.C.’s John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts.

Soca star Machel Montano performing at Central Park Summer stage on August 8th 2026.

Montano will also bring the heat to Barclays Center with Bunji Garlin, Skillibeng, Problem Child, Skinny Fabulous, Ravi B, Lady Lava, Ayetian, and Travis World on Sunday, August 24th and Brooklyn Public Library will launch Journey of a Soca King: The Exhibition, presented by the library and the Machel Montano Foundation for Greatness from August 22 through September 12, celebrating Montano’s more than four-decade career and Brooklyn’s own role in his rise.

The exhibition features costumes, trophies and vinyl records from Montano’s career, offering an immersive look at the artist who began performing at age seven in 1982 and released his debut album, Too Young To Soca, in 1985. Montano remains Trinidad and Tobago’s most decorated Road March champion, with a record 12 titles, and holds titles including National Calypso Monarch, Chutney Soca Monarch, and the Hummingbird Gold National Medal.

The exhibition follows the 2026 documentary Like Ah Boss: Journey of a Soca King, centered on Montano’s 16 performances during the 2015 Carnival season. The film will be projected onto Central Library’s facade on September 3.

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