Brian Lehrer on WNIC, and this weekend sees the return of the West Indian American

Day Carnival, the street festival celebrating Caribbean heritage, and Jovey, the pre-dawn

festival that kicks it all off. In New York City, this will be the second year running

that the festivities are back in person after the disruption of the pandemic, and you can

expect the celebration to bring traditional masks, or masquerade, costumes, steel drums,

and bright colors back to Brooklyn this year. The music, the rhythm, the vibrant signs

of life, it all has roots in the emancipation of enslaved people in the Caribbean. So,

we'll spend the last part of our show today talking about Jovey's origins in Trinidad

and Tobago, and its historical significance in the Caribbean diaspora. We'll also look

at some of the ways that New York will celebrate Jovey this year, including an immersive

experience called the Jovey Genesis Immersive Experience at the Lefferts Historic House

in Prospect Park. So, joining me now, Sandra A. M. Bell, producer and production stage

manager for Jovey Fest Collective, CEO of Journey Agents, and a curator of the exhibit,

Jovey Genesis Immersive Experience at Lefferts Historic House. Also with us, Gaeli Vett Davis,

retired economist and veteran carnival participants. And listeners, we also invite you in for this.

What does Jovey mean for you? In your own particular Caribbean cultural heritage, 212-433-WNYC-212-433-9692.

If you can't get through on the phone, you can tweet us at Brian Lair or text us at the

same number as the call-in 212-433-9692. Gaeli Vett, and Sandra, welcome to WNYC.

Gaeli Vett, you want to do a little...

Oh, I'm on it. Gaeli Vett, can we start with a bit of Jovey 101, a carnival 101 for the

uninitiated, little abridged history, maybe, of the origins of festival and what it is meant

to celebrate?

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