After a weekend of events, unmarred by bad weather, Tobago successfully completed its inaugural seven-day carnival celebration, starting with the Tobago Music Arts and Culture (TOMAC) festival on last Monday (October 24) and concluding with a parade of the bands on Sunday (October 30).

Through the event, the small island sought to distinguish itself as a tourism option in the region.

The social media handle assigned with organising the events, @welcometobago, left a message on its page.

“The most heartfelt thanks goes out to all of you. The Tobago Carnival planning committee under the purview of the Tobago House of Assembly Division of Tourism Culture Antiquities and Transportation, stakeholders, band leaders, masqueraders, spectators, vendors, visitors-the entire ecosystem of invested individuals who contributed to the success of the staging of Tobago’s newest tourism product offering. Tobago Carnival 2022 was a labour of love. Many learning curves, so many wins and without a flicker of doubt, we can proudly say that we have most definitely left an identifiably Tobagonian stamp on the global calendar of festival activities.”

Tobago is a small island that is part of the twin-island republic of Trinidad and Tobago.

With its population of just 60,000, the island’s cultural celebrations are often overshadowed by those in Trinidad.

In a bid to distinguish itself as a tourism option for visitors, the Tobago House of Assembly elected to host its carnival celebrations in October.