Hilaire Says Commercialization Key to Sustaining Saint Lucia Carnival While Preserving Tradition

As Saint Lucia Carnival continues to attract thousands of visitors and generate millions in economic activity, Tourism and Culture Minister Dr. Ernest Hilaire says the challenge is to build a commercially sustainable festival without allowing its traditions and cultural identity to be lost.

While a guest on RCI’s Vaval Central On Wednesday, Dr. says said Carnival must be viewed as more than a two day parade, describing it as an extended period of cultural activity capable of creating sustainable livelihoods for a wide cross-section of Saint Lucians.

He said costume makers, designers, cosmetologists, hairdressers and other creatives can use Carnival as a platform to build businesses that extend beyond the season, including the production of costumes and services for weddings, parties and other events.

“For us, there is a cultural expression, but there is also a powerful economic impact,” Dr. Hilaire said.

The minister pointed to the strong visitor arrivals recorded during the opening weeks of July, which coincide with the height of Saint Lucia Carnival activities.

He said approximately 25,000 visitors arrived in Saint Lucia during the first two weeks of July last year, compared with what would ordinarily be expected during the summer travel period.

Dr. Hilaire said the figures demonstrate the role Carnival plays in driving tourism and economic activity across the island.

“July is the month of highest visitor arrivals in Saint Lucia, not December, not January, not February, not March,” he said.

Beyond the creative sector, he noted that Carnival supports retailers, food and beverage vendors, taxi operators, bus drivers and other service providers.

Dr. Hilaire said the broader vision is to establish Carnival as an industry and an economy in its own right, generating activity from shortly after the Saint Lucia Jazz and Arts Festival through to the July celebrations.

“From virtually the weekend after Jazz ends, the Carnival season starts. In effect, you are talking about two months of activity, and that can become two months of economic activity,” the Minister said.

However, Dr Hilaire acknowledged that the continued commercial development of Carnival must not result in the loss of its cultural foundations.

Saint Lucia he said still has work to do in defining the distinct identity of its Carnival, particularly since the festival is not directly tied to an event such as the end of the sugar harvest, as is the case with Barbados’ Crop Over, or an emancipation observance.

According to him, the shift of Saint Lucia Carnival to July brought clear economic benefits and helped the island avoid direct competition with other regional carnivals, but it also created a need for continued dialogue about the festival’s meaning and identity.

His personal view, he said, is that Saint Lucia Carnival should be understood as a cultural expression of how Saint Lucians celebrate life.

At the same time, he said the island should not lose sight of the historical community carnivals held around Emancipation Day, particularly in communities outside Castries.

Dr. Hilaire noted that Saint Lucia’s national Carnival remains largely centred in the north and urban areas, while traditional community celebrations in places such as Roseau and Dennery retain their own cultural importance.

He said efforts to bring all community carnivals ahead of the national parade were resisted by some communities, whose celebrations remain deeply connected to the first week of August and the return of members of the diaspora.

The minister said those traditions should be respected and given their proper value within the wider Carnival landscape.

He also welcomed the growing participation of persons from the French territories in Saint Lucia Carnival, particularly in traditional mas.

Dr. Hilaire said traditional masquerade, street theatre and contemporary costume bands must all have a place in the celebration.

“Those who want to be traditional should be allowed to be traditional and should find a space to be traditional,” he said. “Those who want to express themselves in a different design or a different style should also find the space to do that.”

While recognizing concerns about Carnival becoming overly commercialized, Dr. Hilaire maintained that commercial success is necessary to make the festival sustainable.

He said band leaders, costume designers and other organisers must be able to earn profits if they are to continue investing in Carnival year after year.

“You do not want it to become over-commercialised where it loses its cultural component,” he said. “But commercialisation is what provides sustainability.”

Dr. Hilaire added that government has a responsibility to safeguard the cultural elements of Carnival while creating an environment in which participants can earn a living from their work.

He also stressed the importance of nurturing younger generations through junior Carnival programmes, ensuring that children grow up with an understanding of the festival’s identity, purpose and cultural value.

According to the minister, the long-term goal is a Carnival that remains commercially viable, culturally grounded and sustainable for generations to come.

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