Editing Carnival (section)

====Trinidad and Tobago====
[[File:Orange Carnival Masqueraders in Trinidad.jpg|thumb|right|Masqueraders chipping on Carnival Tuesday in [[Port of Spain]] during [[Trinidad and Tobago Carnival]]]]
{{Main|Trinidad and Tobago Carnival}}
In [[Trinidad and Tobago]], Carnival lasts months and culminates in large celebrations on the three days before Ash Wednesday with Dimanche Gras, [[J'ouvert]], and Mas (masquerade). Tobago's celebration culminates on Monday and Tuesday on a much smaller scale, however Tobago hosted its inaugural standalone carnival on October 28–30, 2022<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://newsday.co.tt/2023/01/07/festivals-ceo-tobago-can-support-two-carnivals/,%20https://newsday.co.tt/2023/01/07/festivals-ceo-tobago-can-support-two-carnivals/|title=Festivals CEO: Tobago can support two carnivals - Trinidad and Tobago Newsday|first=Corey|last=Connelly|date=7 January 2023|website=newsday.co.tt|accessdate=11 March 2023}}</ref> Carnival combines costumes, dance, music, competitions, rum, and partying (fete-ing). Music styles include soca, [[calypso music|calypso]], [[rapso]], and more recently [[Chutney music|chutney]] and [[chutney soca]].{{citation needed|date=January 2017}}

The annual Carnival [[steel pan]] competition known as the National Panorama competition holds the finals on the Saturday before the main event. Pan players compete in categories such as "Conventional Steel Band" or "Single Pan Band" by performing renditions of the year's calypsos.<ref>{{cite web |title=Panorama Steelband Competition |url=https://www.steelpan-steeldrums-information.com/panorama.html |accessdate=11 November 2021 |archive-date=11 November 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211111120140/https://www.steelpan-steeldrums-information.com/panorama.html |url-status=live }}</ref>

"Dimanche Gras" takes place on the Sunday night before Ash Wednesday. Here the [[Calypso Monarch]] is chosen (after competition) and prize money and a vehicle awarded. The King and Queen of the bands are crowned, where each band parades costumes for two days and submits a king and queen, from which an overall winner is chosen. These usually involve huge, complex, beautiful well-crafted costumes, that includes 'wire-bending'.<ref>{{cite web |title=Costume Prototypes Shi'dor LLC |url=https://www.shidor.com/prototypes/ |website=Shi'dor |accessdate=22 February 2021 |archive-date=20 January 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210120063311/https://www.shidor.com/prototypes/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

J'ouvert, or "Dirty Mas", takes place before dawn on the Monday (known as Carnival Monday) before Ash Wednesday. It means "opening of the day". Revelers dress in costumes embodying puns on current affairs, especially political and social events. "Clean Mud" (clay mud), oil paint and body paint are familiar during J'ouvert. A common character is "Jab-jabs" (devils, blue, black, or red) complete with pitchfork, pointed horns and tails. A King and Queen of J'ouvert are chosen, based on their witty political/social messages.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Tobago |first=Discover Trinidad & |date=2013-10-22 |title=Trinidad Carnival: the birth & evolution |url=https://www.discovertnt.com/articles/Trinidad/The-Birth-Evolution-of-Trinidad-Carnival/109/3/32 |access-date=2023-06-20 |website=Discover Trinidad & Tobago |language=en-GB |archive-date=20 June 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230620213110/https://www.discovertnt.com/articles/Trinidad/The-Birth-Evolution-of-Trinidad-Carnival/109/3/32 |url-status=live }}</ref>

[[File:Carnival Costume in Trinidad.jpg|thumb|The Carnival King costume for a particular band]]
Carnival Monday involves the parade of the mas bands. Revelers wear only parts of their costumes, more for fun than display or competition. Monday Night Mas is popular in most towns and especially the capital, where smaller bands compete. There is also the "Bomb Competition", a smaller-scaled judging of steel bands.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://gotrinidadandtobago.com/trinidad-and-tobago/carnival-in-trinidad.html|title=Carnival in Trinidad – Trinidad & Tobago – The true caribbean – Trinidad & Tobago – The true caribbean|website=gotrinidadandtobago.com|access-date=21 February 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170207043929/http://gotrinidadandtobago.com/trinidad-and-tobago/carnival-in-trinidad.html|archive-date=7 February 2017|url-status=dead}}</ref>{{citation needed|date=January 2017}}

Carnival Tuesday hosts the main events. Full costume is worn, complete with make-up and body paint/adornment. Usually "Mas Boots" that complement the costumes are worn. Each band has their costume presentation based on a particular theme, and contains various sections (some consisting of thousands of revelers) that reflect these themes. The street parade and band costume competition take place. The mas bands eventually converge on the Queen's Park Savannah to pass on "The Stage" for judging. The singer of the most played song is crowned Road March King or Queen, earning prize money and usually a vehicle.{{citation needed|date=January 2017}}

This parading and revelry goes on until Tuesday midnight. Ash Wednesday itself, while not an official holiday, sends flocks to local beaches. The most popular are [[Maracas Beach]] and [[Manzanilla Beach, Trinidad and Tobago|Manzanilla Beach]], where huge beach parties take place on Ash Wednesday.{{citation needed|date=January 2017}}