Veterans, newbies converge on Xodus
Published:Monday | April 13, 2026 | 1:13 AMRuth-Ann Briscoe/Gleaner Writer
Carol Samuels, an Xodus reveller, is as veteran as they come. Jumping in carnival since its inception in the early ‘90s, the Texas-based Samuels has rarely missed a beat.
Samuels, who visits home every year to attend carnival, reflected on the decades attending as a reveller.
“The execution is getting better. I’ve seen a lot of people coming out. But again, the cost of costumes is kind of hard for a lot of people these days. But otherwise, it’s a lovely day. We’ve enjoyed ourselves,” Samuels told The Gleaner.
“Previous years were easier, in the sense that everybody could afford a costume. Everybody loved it. Everybody expected a lot from [carnival],” Samuels stated.
When asked what her life would be without carnival, Samuels shared a story. Last year, she skipped carnival in order to babysit for her daughter who wanted to attend, but she has vowed never to do that again. When her daughter reported on all the fun she had, Samuels told her, “No, you’re not going next year.”
The Gleaner also caught up with Melanie Tapper and Norma Cohen, who were with a group of onlookers during the road march. The two shared that during their time of revelling on the road, they were not too focused on the other attendees, but on having fun. Cohen was also in attendance at the first carnival, during the time of the late Byron Lee, founder of Jamaica Carnival.
One of the biggest highlights of the Xodus turnout is the revellers who visit from other countries. Another Xodus jumper, Sharna-Jade Bradley from the UK, has been wanting to attend Carnival in Jamaica for years. She decided last year that it was time to make it and started planning from last September.
Bradley, who celebrated her birthday last week, has been attending carnival-related events for the past few days and loving it. “The energy is good on the road. I feel like everybody’s here to have a good time and enjoy themselves, so it’s very inclusive,” Bradley shared.
Sharing her thoughts on her first carnival, Samuels says, “It was exciting. It was beautiful. Everything was clean and nice. And we had a good time.”
As expected, there were a few familiar faces on the road, including Major Marketing’s Romeich Major who shared his thoughts on the crowds and the impact of carnival for Jamaica, not just culture, but entertainment.
“It’s been a long time since I’ve seen a carnival like this ... not just carnival, but the importance of entertainment. [It is] very important. It brings money to the country. It brings peace to the country. It brings fun and love to the country,” Major told The Gleaner.
CEO of Xodus Carnival Pierre Goubault told The Gleaner that this year did not surpass their previous years in terms of numbers, and shared that one of their biggest issues was their suppliers.
“This is not the biggest we’ve ever been ... obviously [due to], the impacts of Melissa, and what’s happening in the United States with some flying policies,” a relaxed Goubalt said.
Initially starting a bit slow in terms of turnout, the Xodus band revved up their energy, vibes and numbers after lunch, singing to the various tunes from the stops, maintaining their high energy even with occasional delays. In terms of performances, Aaron ‘Voice’ St Louis performed a number of hits while aboard a Xodus truck, including a song of the season, Cyah Behave.