Baltimore Washington One Caribbean Carnival, USA
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Content of this article
What is the Baltimore Washington One Carnival?
Baltimore Washington One Carnival is a special Caribbean celebration, as it brings both cities together for one big carnival party. The Carnival, also known as Baltimore and Washington Caribbean Festival, unites both cities to commemorate the Caribbean community coming together in both locations. It is definitely a special event, as usually the cities compete with each other to be the best party.
Despite being a particular celebration, it still features the traditional elements of a Caribbean carnival, replete with traditional cuisine, music, dance, crafts and other family activities. In addition, it also contemplates the respective parade with the support of the entire Caribbean community that joins together for the celebration.
The Baltimore Washington One Carnival is a celebration that is characterized by being family friendly, so you can expect a celebration that is a little less wild compared to the rest of the carnivals you know. The highlights of the celebration are the incredible handmade costumes that parade through the streets during the parade. Some of them have a theme that characterizes them and usually the costume is oversized and multi-colored.
TheBaltimore Washington One Carnival celebrations are held with the support of the mayor of the city of Baltimore and the Office of Promotions and Arts, the carnival is organized by the Baltimore Caribbean American Carnival Association in conjunction with the DC Caribbean Carnival Committee. The result of this historic union is one big, happy Caribbean-themed celebration.
People from all over the area come to be part of this particular celebration, bringing together up to 40,000 people to celebrate with traditional Caribbean music, delicious food and dozens of activities and games for the whole family.
Baltimore Washington One Carnival is a special celebration that unites two cities
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When is Baltimore Washington One Carnival
Despite being a carnival celebration, the Baltimore Washington One Carnival is not held in the traditional months between the month of February and the month of March, but is instead held in the month of July. Thus, the carnival is a summer festival.
EThe Baltimore Washington One Carnival is planned to be held from approximately July 15 to 16.
Baltimore Carnivals Washington One
History.
Carnival is known for is one of the longest running celebrations on the entire planet earth. This very particular festival is originating from Europe, particularly from Ancient Rome. During the establishment of Ancient Rome, the settlers used the festivities as a vehicle of veneration to the gods, one of them being Dionysus, the god of wine. However, in many regions of the world have practiced festivals similar to carnivals that were intended tomake way for spring and say goodbye to winter..
During the Middle Ages, the carnival had proliferated in the central region of Europe, strongly permeating the city of Venice. The carnival in the city of Venice was consolidated as one of the most important festivals, as well as one of the extravagant and mysterious celebrations. Carnivals in Venice were celebrated with effervescence with food, drink and entertainment in full swing. As time went on, the use of masks and costumes began to be practiced much more strongly, as people saw these pieces as a vehicle for personality transformation. People believed that, through the masks, they could perform certain acts that they would never do without them, including crimes.
Carnival began to spread throughout the rest of Europe, reaching countries such as Spain and Portugal. The tradition continued to be celebrated for hundreds of years; however, with many prohibitions and censorship. The church and the government were not fans of carnivals, as they considered them immoral and caused public order to be destabilized. After a long period of prohibition and secret parties, the carnival began to be more or less tolerated by the authorities.
Once the colonization of America began, the carnival began its journey to the New World, being transmitted to the Latin American and Caribbean countries through the religious customs of the Europeans. During the civilization of the Caribbean and Latin American peoples, carnival festivals were also implemented, although these were initially only celebrated by whites and some Creoles.
Once slavery was abolished and freedom was achieved, people were free to celebrate the festivities with no strings attached. The Carnival of the Caribbean and Latin America had created a mixture of European, African and Creole traditions, resulting in particular and unique celebrations.
With the migration of the Caribbean population to other latitudes, the traditions began to be transmitted to other societies through organizations whose purpose was to preserve and develop the Caribbean identity. Thus, the Baltimore Washington One Carnival began to be held in 1981, involving the city of Baltimore and Washington to provide the community with space for the free expression of citizens.
Where is the Baltimore Washington One Carnival
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The Baltimore Washington One Carnival is held in the city of Baltimore, the largest city in the entire state of Maryland.
Baltimore was established by the Maryland Constitution in 1851. The total area of the city is about 238.41 square kilometers and is home to 620,000 people.
Baltimore’s Washington One Carnival is celebrated with parades and entertainment
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How the Baltimore Washington One Carnival is celebrated
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Baltimore Washington One Carnival is a particularly family-friendly celebration, so you can expect activities that involve the entire audience and family. However, that doesn’t take away from the traditional Caribbean carnival celebration, as you still have somefun and festive events. Among some of the most notable carnival celebrations are:
Bandas Mas
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As is tradition in the vast majority of the Caribbean islands, the Baltimore Washington One Carnival also includes this theme in its festivities. The bandas mas are groupings that carry a particular ensemble in the parade. These outfits are arranged by some company or organization which at the same time offers celebration packages. The costumes you can see at carnivals are offered to people usually with other services such as drinks, music or evenfood and security.
EachMas Band has its own coordinated group of dancing revelers dressed in striking and elaborate costumes representing a specific theme. These costumes are also adecorated with hundreds of feathers and glitter and can come for both men and women. The Bandas Mas parade is not simply parading, but also a contest and the bands are judged on their creativity, costume design and the energy and participation of their revelers.
The entire Bandas Mas parade is also accompanied by a stream of large trucks that are equipped with sound systems playing Caribbean, Soca, Calypso and Reggae music.
Mud Mas’
Mud Mas’ is a tradition that can also be seen in Trinidad and Tobago. The event is similar to the J’ouvert, only this one does not take place in the early morning hours. During the event, hundreds of people play with mud, so each person can count on several buckets completely filled with mud with which they bathe the other participants.
Just like the J’ouvert, the whole event is held under a purely celebratory and festive atmosphere. In addition, several trucks with traditional Caribbean music are also available. In some editions, there has also beenpainting war during this celebration.
Parade
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The parade is the first event that occurs during the festivities and is one of the most anticipated events. The event features the participation of the Bandas Mas and some decorated floats. In addition, like any other Caribbean carnival parade, the big trucks with loudspeakers can never be missing. The parade also features entertainment, characters on big stilts and dancers.
Music
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Carnivals in the Caribbean are distinguished by their great effervescence when it comes to playing music, for this reason, the Baltimore Washington One Carnival is no exception. Throughout the event you count on local metal drum bands and great influential artists. Some of the artists and bands that have participated in the event include Nadia Batson, Sophia Brown, Stykers Posse Reggae Band, Steelband from Baltimore, Carl Malcolm and Mister David.
Tips for going to the Baltimore Washington One Carnivals
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If you are going to celebrate the Baltimore Washington One Carnival, we recommend you to plan your trip in advance, make an itinerary of activities and book the lodging of your choice in advance. Also, don’t forget to pack comfortable clothes so you can fully enjoy your carnival.
If you want to have a complete experience of the Baltimore Washington One Carnival, we recommend you to purchase the Bandas Mas package offered by the organization.
Also remember that you will need to pay admission to enter the event. For the first day of the festivities, the entrance fee is about 15 US dollars, while for the second day, the entrance fee is 20 US dollars. Tickets can be obtained through the Baltimore Washington One Carnival organization’s website or directly at the gates of the event when the festivities begin.
Events at the Baltimore Washington One Carnival
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Even though the Baltimore Washington One Carnival takes place over only two days, it doesn’t mean that the celebration doesn’t have enough entertainment for everyone. Events at the carnival happen from start to finish and take place one after the other. Here are some of theevents that take place at the Baltimore Washington One Carnival so you can learn a little more about the type of entertainment the organization has.
Parade
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The parade the first event in the Baltimore Washington One Carnival festivities takes place at 1 pm in the Waverly Neighborhood and runs until 5 pm.
Entertainment
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All of the Baltimore Washington One Carnival entertainment takes place at the Fairgrounds, which is set up in Clifton Park. On the first day of the festivities, the fairground opens from 10 a.m. and runs until 10 p.m. There, you can findlive entertainment, music bands, singers and of course, the food stalls..
On the second day of the Baltimore Washington One Carnival celebration, the venue opens at noon until 9 p.m. Again, featuring various types of entertainment, music, singers and food stalls with traditional Caribbean dishes.
Thousands parade the streets during the Baltimore Washington One Carnival
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Baltimore Washington One Carnival Parades
The parade is a large agglomeration of various carnival components. The first are theMas Bands that parade through the streets in their colorful costumes, full of feathers and glitter. These bands are behind large trucks with sound equipment, so they are dancing and parading at every turn. Each of the bands is grouped with people with their same ensemble. Each of the bands has its own truck and products with drinks and entertainment..
Then, we have the people who havecustom costumes. These people attend the parade not with outfits from Bandas Mas, but withhomemade costumes. This is not to say that they are cheap or not very elaborate costumes, but quite the opposite. Some have extravenues dressed in large size with various accessories and pieces on their heads, while other costumes have wings that are hooked with the arms of the person, causing a particular and hypnotizing movement.
Finally, we have the people who participate in the Mud Mas’. These people are completely covered from head to toe in mud and parade the streets dancing and strutting back and forth. Like the Mas Bands, they are right behind a large truck that has Caribbean music exclusively for them.
In addition, the entire event has people carryingflags of their countries of origin or countries of origin their parents. Several people on stilts traverse the streets from one side to the other, dancing or performing small presentations to entertain the public.
Parade route
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Baltimore Washington One Carnival Parade Culminates in Clifton Park
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The parade occupies a 2-kilometer distance starting from E. 33rd Street to Clifton Park, which will be followed by a host of entertaining events, food fairs, concerts and the participation of various musicians.
The Oxtail is a classic dish of Caribbean cuisine
What to eat at Baltimore Carnival Washington One
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Fortunately, the Baltimore Washington One Carnival Carnival has its own food fair with several traditional Caribbean dishes, so you won’t have to worry about getting a place to eat. The smell of freshly made food pervades the entire venue and all you have to do is decide what to eat and start enjoying the wonderful Caribbean flavors.
One of the dishes you’ll get at the fair is the Oxtail, or oxtail. This is a cut that few people eat and is the tail of the ox. Although it may seem strange, its flavor is quite pleasant and it is popular among the Caribbean islands. Oxtail is a stewed food dish that is marinated with a good amount of vegetables and some spices. The meat is cooked for several hours and served with plenty of white rice.
The Jerk Chicken is another classic dish from theCaribbean islands. The dish is composed of a chicken marinated with a good amount of spices and some spice. It is then placed on a very hot grill until a roasted and caramelized crust is obtained. The end result is a grilled chicken with notes of sweet, salty and spicy flavor. The chicken can be accompanied with some white rice, salad or eaten alone with a can of beer.
In addition, the city of Baltimore offers you a good number of places to visit so that you can expand your knowledge of local food. Some of the best-known eateries in town include La Tavola, The Capital Grille, SoBo Café, One-Eyed Mike’s, Sotto Sopra, The Food Market, Cazbar, Gertrude’s, The Prime Rib and Roy’s Restaurant..
Jerk Chicken is a signature dish of the Caribbean
What to see and do inside the Baltimore Washington One Carnival
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Once at Baltimore Washington One Carnival, you can attend the parade that takes place on the first day of the festivities. You can participate as part of the Mas Bands, make your own costume or participate in the Mud Mas. In addition, once the parade is over, you can approach the carnival grounds for some live entertainment, music bands and the traditional Caribbean food fair..
The second day of festivities also features live entertainment, bands, food and some singers, but all the entertainment starts at noon and ends at nine in the evening. We encourage you to participate in this very special carnival, as it unites two cities in the same celebration.
What to see and do outside the Baltimore Washington One Carnivals
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National Aquarium
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This is a large public aquarium that was opened in the year 1981. Every year, 1.5 million people come to the museum to see the aquariums that hold more than 8.3 million liters of water. In addition, the aquarium currently has 17,000 different specimens of 750 species of animals.
The Walters Art Museum
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It is a public museum founded in 1934. The museum has established collections of the nineteenth century, among them you can find ancient art such as statues, paintings, vases, scrolls, weapons and crystals.
American Visionary Art Museum
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It is an art museum dedicated to the preservation and exhibition of outsider art. Among his works can be found sculptures, designs and decorated cars of various sizes and colorful themes.
Weather at the Baltimore Carnival Washington One
During the Baltimore Washington One Carnival celebration, Baltimore City has somewhat warm weather, with temperatures ranging from 23 to 32 degrees Celsius. We recommend staying hydrated, applying sunscreen and staying in the shade whenever possible.
During the Baltimore Washington One Carnival people dress up as Mas Bands
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How to get to Baltimore Washington One Carnival
The city of Baltimore has two nearby airports: Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport and Baltimore-Washington International Airport, both receive a good amount of flights, but we will take as reference the second one for receiving more foreign flights.
How to get there by train
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From the airport you can take a Maryland Transit train to downtown. The ride is 30 minutes and the price is 2 US dollars.
The city of Baltimore is also connected by train to Iselin, Newark, Absecon, Exton, Concord.
How to get there by bus
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From the airport take a Maryland Transit bus to downtown. The ride is 30 minutes and the fare ranges from US$1 to US$5.
How to get there by car
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From the airport you can take the MD-295 N road. The trip takes 20 minutes.
If you take a car, the price of the car ranges between 26 and 32 US dollars.
