What was unofficially dubbed the largest staging of Bacchanal J’Ouvert on Friday night into the wee hours of Saturday morning saw a sea of revellers covered in bright-coloured paint and powder.

The event kicked off minutes to 11:00 pm — a little later than the 10:00 pm advertised start time. But Mas Camp quickly filled up as soca lovers from across the world came donning outfits and head covers suitable to be drenched until daylight.

Live performances were provided by regional stars such as GBM, Lyrikal, and Voice. It was Lyrikal, however, who upped the ante inside the venue when he insisted that water be introduced to the mixture of paint and powder. By the end of his set, he, too, was multi-coloured, thanks to his fans who sang along to hits such as Cloud 9, Look Back, and Lit.

In the midst of the revelry were large beach balls being bounced around that brought out the child-like tendencies of the ecstatic patrons.

Michael Ammar Jr, co-director of Bacchanal Jamaica, was over the moon at the success of yet another staging. This is particularly because the band is celebrating its 25th anniversary.

“I’m extremely pleased. The crowd is phenomenal. I don’t think I’ve ever seen a J’Ouvert this big, and it has vibe, and Voice just vibed it up some more. I’m very pleased,” he told the Jamaica Observer just about an hour before patrons left Mas Camp to do a road march.

The exceptional staging was partially due to an extended planning time, according to Ammar Jr.

“This year, we started in October (last year) and, as a result, we were able to import all of the branded stuff that everybody likes; the T-shirts and stuff and it makes a big difference ‘cause everybody likes that kind of stuff,” he said.

Ammar Jr is also celebrating 35 years of Carnival in Jamaica which was established through the Oakridge Boys, of which he was a part.