LOS ANGELES CARNIVAL 2K10

Los Angeles Carnival takes place Sunday, October 17th, 2010 from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. in Westchester, California.

ACTIVITY SCHEDULE (Subject to change)

HOW LOS ANGELES CARNIVAL WORKS

There are three separate entities that collaborate to bring Los Angeles Carnival to the community:

• The producing company that provides resources for the infrastructure and administration of the carnival

• The band leaders who create costumes and organize masqueraders to play in the carnival; and

• The community (including governmental) who endorses the event by sponsoring, supporting and attending.

THE CARNIVAL

The Los Angeles carnival consists of groups of costumed masqueraders and revelers in contingents called ‘mas bands.’ Bands can range from a few people to several thousands in large carnivals.  Costumes can be as simple as a ‘T-shirt Band’ or as elaborate as three dimensional designs that must be wheeled along the route.  

BAND LEADERS

Each mas band is organized by a band leader who chooses a theme and creates costumes, that represent that theme.  The band leader markets his/her costumes  to masqueraders who choose  which band they will ‘play’ with, depending on which costumes they like or can afford. At the end of the carnival the band members keep or discard their costume and the band disperses. Band Leaders then come up with new themes and designs for next year's carnival and the process begins again.

FEES & COSTS

 There are two main costs to participate in the Los Angeles Carnival as a Masquerader.

Costume Fees

• Costume cost is paid by the masquerader to the band leader.  Costs can range from under fifty dollars to several thousand dollars for large wheeled costumes and everything in between. Cost is determined by the band Leader who is paid. This transaction is strictly between the band leader and the masquerader who wears the costume.  The carnival producing body is not involved in this transaction in any way.

Event Registration Fees

• Registration or Band Fee, is paid to the Producing Company.  In most Caribbean carnivals, Band Leaders pay a band fee, based on the size of his/her band. This is usually passed on to the masquerader and bundled into the cost of the costume. Los Angeles Carnival has no minimum fee for Band Leaders.  Each person who plays pays a registration fee of $15.00 if they purchase a costume as a member of a Mas Band, or $20.00 if they are an individual participant who is not a member of a band. In this way, a new band leader with a few members can participate without being burdened with a prohibitive minimum band fee.  Band Leaders may collect registration fees and deliver it to the Producing Company, or the Masqueraders may pay it directly to the Carnival Producing Company.  This revenue helps to offset the administrative, management and logistical costs of staging the event.

HOW YOU CAN PARTICIPATE

• Produce: Produce or help to produce one of the events during carnival week.

• Form a Band:Choose a theme, design a costume and get masqueraders to play in the carnival.

• Masquerade: Play in one of the existing bands or register with the carnival office, rent a costume or wear your own and pay your fees to play.

• Marshall: Train to participate in the carnival as a Marshall.

• Design:: Create costumes for the carnival.

• Make Costumes: Help band leaders make costumes.

• Volunteer: Volunteer in many administrative and event areas where volunteers are always needed.