The party's starting at St. Maarten Carnival

By Lena Katz

With concerts and parades, beauty pageants and a calypso party by the ponds, St. Maarten Carnival 2008 is kicking off on April 17 and running through May 3. This annual event is one of the biggest parties in the Caribbean — it’s boozy, big and features, among other things, a street party called Jouvert that starts at 4 a.m. This is quite efficient/brutal scheduling, for the many American/European tourists who are used to going to bed at 4 a.m.

Now in its 39th year, the Carnival features 11 "local" parties and seven major concerts starring international artists. Elephant Man headlines the final International Reggae Concert on May 2, but earlier concerts spotlight the best in calypso and Caribbean Soca. St. Maarten even has its own "Carnival Village" with a stage and stalls selling foodand drink (most of the alcoholic variety). Thousands of people drop in to see the headline shows, as well as the closing "Jump-up" celebration and the symbolic burning of "King Momo."

A few islands over, the 17th Annual St. Lucia Jazz Festival takes place from May 2-11. It’s mellow compared to Carnival, but the biggest event of the year for the island. Headliners include Wyclef Jean, Anita Baker and Air Supply. The first five days of the festival showcase an eclectic group of lesser-known international, Caribbean and local artists. Most concerts take place at the open-air stage in Pigeon Island national park. Shows are ticketed and priced separately. The most expensive single ticket is around $70 USD; some shows, like Jazz on the Pier, are free.

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