St. George – The highly anticipated annual Spicemas festivities has tourism officials excited about the upcoming season. Grenada is in a state of readiness for the cultural explosion that attracts visitors and returning nationals from all over the world, transforming the destination into a vibrant extravaganza.

Last year’s carnival event marked a significant milestone as it was the first Spicemas celebration after a two-year hiatus. It was so well attended that the anticipation of this year’s celebration started early with a Spicemas launch event in Brooklyn, New York in May, where attendees were treated to an authentic cultural experience, including traditional aspects associated with carnival through the collaborative effort of the Grenada Tourism Authority and the Spicemas Corporation.

“We wanted to give New Yorkers a taste of what they can expect come August in Grenada,” said Petra Roach, CEO of the Grenada Tourism Authority. “By all accounts, the event was a massive success, and it was a beautiful run-up to the celebration we have planned here in Grenada. The pure energy that reverberates throughout the destination is something we all look forward to experiencing and sharing with the world. It is by far the best expression of carnival and this year’s will be unforgettable.”

Carnival this year will feature new complements and concepts that differ from previous years. Revelers can look forward to several events taking place across the island all leading up to Carnival Monday and Tuesday.

Events include:

• August 5th: Children’s Carnival Frolic
• August 6th: Majestic Sunday – National Carnival Queen Pageant
• August 10th: Calypso Finals
• August 11th: Bacchanal Friday –Groovy & Soca Monarch
• August 12th: Panorama
• August 14th: J’ouvert/Pageant/Monday Night Mas
• August 15th: Parade of Bands/Last Lap

In anticipation of the high volume of visitors, JetBlue and Caribbean Airlines have expanded their service to Grenada. JetBlue, currently offering daily nonstop service from New York’s John F. Kennedy (JFK) airport, will operate a second daily nonstop flight from August 7 to September 1, departing at 9:50 p.m. and arriving at Grenada’s Maurice Bishop International Airport (GND) at 2:47 a.m.

Caribbean Airlines’ expanded flights, which will take place in the U.S. and Canada with direct flights on August 8 & 11 and August 7 & 8 respectively. The Trinidad route also adds increased passenger capacity.

Petra Roach remarked, “The expanded connectivity is a true testament to Spicemas’ appeal. It’s a celebration not to be missed and the extra service makes it possible for even more people to witness our culture come alive here in Grenada.”