The parades of the bands are scheduled for the 15th and 16th of july 2024, with numerous carnival fetes before and after.

In light of this, the Christian Council of Saint Lucia reaffirmed its regular yearly calls for the promotion of Christian values during the celebrations, despite the celebrations not being either Christian or religious in nature

Chair of the Council, Christian Glasgow, in a recent statement, cautioned against citizens engaging in acts unbecoming of Christians.

“Our lives are not meant to be lived in compartments. In other words, we are not Christians one moment and pagans in the next…As such, carnival is not meant to be that time when we permit ourselves to be loose beyond recognition and return to normal living in its aftermath,” he said.

The Tourism Minister says he expects that sort of call from the Christian Council as it is made yearly, but encourages revellers to be mindful of their conduct on the road.

“Please be mindful of how you behave on the road, how you conduct yourself. Carnival is not an excuse for any licentious behaviour or unacceptable behaviour. It's not an opportunity for you to get as drunk as possible. It's not about that. It's about having clean fun. It's about celebrating life. It's about celebrating our culture, our identity, and who we are as a people.”

Dr Hilaire also promises this year to be the biggest year for carnival in terms of visitor arrivals and local participation.