Miami Carnival prepares for a New Normal in best interests of Mas Bands, Masqueraders, Patrons, and other Stakeholders

We are closely monitoring the spread of COVID-19. We are following the recommendations of global and local public health authorities, in conjunction with our stakeholders, including our local municipalities and counties, visitor bureaus, masqueraders, mas bands and steel bands, sponsors, and our volunteers. We will continue to provide updates as the situation develops.

It has become clear that we must change our event, and at this time we are optimistic that there is a path forward. The South Florida Carnival Bandleaders Association has advised us that they, as an Association, will not participate in a parade in October 2020 (see statement). Individual mas bands have informed us that they will participate in this year's cultural expression of Miami Carnival. Therefore, we will continue to plan for a Carnival that will certainly include the culture and disciplines of a traditional Caribbean Carnival: mas, pan, calypso, and soca. We intend to include Caribbean Soca Artists, DJs, and Steel Pan. We will work with our traditional Miami Carnival promoters to ensure that our event(s) will excite our community while ensuring the health and safety of our community.

These are challenging times. Likewise, we also marshal the full network and resources of the Carnival community to also support other charitable efforts in the South Florida community to deliver the needs to our vulnerable residents during this pandemic. We urge you all to stay healthy and to do whatever you can to help one another and to make this a safer world for us all.