Machel Montano and Wendy Fitzwilliam join top models to celebrate Carnival in New York City
NEW YORK – World renowned super model and host of Bravo’s Make Me a Super Model, Jamaican-American Tyson Beckford joined two “Trinidadian Ambassadors” last week at Antilia Carnival to get New Yorkers into a “Carnival State of Mind”.
As West Indians and Americans alike get ready for the 2010 edition of Trinidad and Tobago’s Carnival, former Miss Universe, Trinidad and Tobago’s Wendy Fitzwilliam assisted Beckford in educating enthusiastic attendees about Carnival culture.
Wendy Fitzwilliam and Tyson Beckford at Antilia’s Carnival event in New York.
Moments later an energetic Machel Montano, the international king of Soca music, delivered an electrifying, intimate live performance to the elegant crowd of cosmopolitan New Yorkers who had gathered in Tribeca.
Tyson Beckford (left) and Machel Montano at Antilia’s Carnival event in Tribeca.
The sold-out affair, which was produced by Caribbean-owned entertainment brand Antilia Inc. and featured stilt walkers, live steel pan music, freshly cut coconut water and premium Caribbean hors d’oeuvres, is still the talk of the town as Antilia now focuses on rolling out VIP travel packages to Carnival, set to culminate in the streets of Port of Spain, February 15 and 16, 2010.
Simon Khan, Antilia’s CEO commented: “Antilia Carnival is a tangible experience where an attendee can touch, taste and feel what the premium Carnival experience is like. The event created a welcoming, indigenous experience for both those familiar and unfamiliar with the beauty and excitement of Trinidad Carnival through an upscale cultural presentation and costumed fashion show.”
He added that Antilia’s travel packages offer a transparent mechanism for the adventurous yet discerning traveler to ‘do Trinidad Carnival right’. They include flights, hotel accommodations, ground transportation, VIP party (fête) tickets, and a carnival costume in an all-inclusive carnival band in addition to many ‘add-on’ features such as a two-day visit to sister island Tobago.
At the Tribeca Rooftop, Tobago’s very own Sandhurst Tacama-Miggins (featured on Bravo’s Make Me a Super Model) also weighed in at the celebration by coordinating the fashion show and walking the runway himself, alongside reality stars from CW’s America’s Next Top Model such as Nik Pace (cycle 5), Sheena Satana (cycle 11) and Aminat Ayinde (cycle 12).
Jean Alexander, Director of Marketing and Public Relations with the West Indian American Day Carnival Association, said the event gave a big boost to Caribbean culture, including newcomers to Trinidad and Tobago’s Carnival. “The venue was totally unexpected, the setting was nice and intimate, the tastings were great, the hosts were special and the models were fabulous,” she noted.
From left: Sandhurst Tacama-Miggins, Simon Khan, Wendy Fitzwilliam, Tyson Beckford, correspondent Lady Simone and Machel Montano.
American actor Malik Yoba, Jamaican reggae artiste Serani, Trinidad-born video director Vashtie Kola, celebrity photographer Jonathan Mannion and US Virgin Islander Iyaz were among the notable faces attending the event, along with several Caribbean tourism and consular officials and a large contingent of American and Caribbean media representatives.
Antilia’s travel packages are now available for purchase at www.antilia.com.
All Photos courtesy of Roland Hyde
