Trinidad and Tobago Carnival
In the early hours of March 3, while it’s still dark, revelers in Trinidad and Tobago kick off their Carnival celebration by taking to the street covered in paint, mud, oil and even chocolate to represent devils, demons and monsters for the traditional j’ouvert, which pays homage to the islands’ darker folk stories. After j’ouvert, the day lightens up with parades throughout Monday, leading to the main event on the next day. Dominating the celebration is the sound of steel drums from the calypso and soca bands accompanying the thousands of dancers gyrating through the streets past judging points, hoping to capture such titles as Band of the Year.

This article originally appeared in the February/March 2014 issue of DestinAsian (“Taking It to the Streets”)