Pulsating soca music, great performances from Shurwayne Winchester and Imij and Company, wining, ‘palancing’ and buckets of paint highlighted this year’s staging of Bacchanal J’ouvert – Buccaneer’s Revenge which was held at Mass Camp last Friday Night.

As the clock approached 2:00 am on Saturday, the selector announced to very eager revellers that it was time to transform the colour of each other bodies with paint.

Within mere seconds no one was spared a ‘paint bath’. Bodies were covered in white paint decorated with a touch of red and green leaving the eyes barely visible. Even those who tried to seek refuge from the ‘paint attack’ in the restrooms were not spared as they were seen just minutes later making an all white exit. Finally the paint were finished but a few male revellers had a few tricks up their sleeves as they walked around with big empty colourful buckets in their hands and on their heads, pretending they were throwing paints on people. At the sight of the buckets several female ran in different directions as they thought they were again going to be doused with paints much to the delight of their ‘attackers.’

Approximately 4:00 a.m. the streets of New Kingston came alive as the soca animals took it to the streets. Thousands of wet, painted, and tipsy revellers marched and danced randomly with each other to soca anthems like palancing, not going home, party animal, turn it up, turn mi on among other popular hits. Even the residents of New Kingston (some in their pyjamas) joined in the party as they could be seen on top of Apartment buildings gyrating on each other and moving to the intoxicating soca beat.

As the Observer team made their exit close to 7:00 am Saturday, the extremely energetic revellers were still partying as if they were not aware of the dawning of a new day.