Vincy Mas stakeholders consider rebranding and structural changes for festival’s future
The future direction of Vincy Mas came under the spotlight on Monday 28th July, as government officials and cultural stakeholders considered proposals to strengthen the country’s premier carnival through structural reform, rebranding and greater commercial investment.
The discussions took place during the Vincy Mas National Consultation 2026, hosted by the Ministry of Youth, Sports, Culture and Creative Industries and the Carnival Development Corporation (CDC), where representatives from across the carnival sector examined ways of ensuring the festival’s long-term sustainability.
Addressing the consultation, Tourism Minister Dr Kishore Shallow suggested the CDC could consider evolving beyond its traditional role as a festival development body into a more commercially focused organisation.
He proposed exploring whether the organisation could eventually become a Vincy Mas Corporation, with a greater emphasis on investment, marketing, innovation and revenue generation to strengthen the festival’s long-term growth.
Chief Executive Officer of the St. Vincent and the Grenadines Tourism Authority, Shafia London, questioned whether the festival should continue using its long-standing slogan, “The Hottest Carnival in the Caribbean,” or develop a refreshed brand identity to strengthen its appeal in regional and international markets.
She encouraged stakeholders to consider how destination marketing, digital promotion and visitor experiences could be used to enhance Vincy Mas’ international profile.
Opening the consultation, Minister of Youth, Sports, Culture and Creative Industries Kashaka Cupid acknowledged that while the festival continued to grow, several challenges remained.
He said addressing those issues would require collaboration among government, organisers, artistes, promoters, sponsors, vendors and community organisations.
