Anyone who ever doubted that “rain can’t stop Carnival” only needed to go to Magens Bay Sunday for proof.
Hundreds of people braved Sunday’s morning downpours to help set up for the annual all-day beach blitz known to most as Carnival’s last, last lap.
“You gotta do it,” said Jenelle George, who combined a post-Carnival party with her mother’s birthday bash at shed number four Sunday. Judith Alicia George expected at least 200 people for her 60th Birthday fiesta, which came complete with sombreros and piñatas.
Like others who staked out picnic benches early in the morning, the George crew got soaked while setting up chairs, music system and catering tables at 6:30 a.m. Friends dug channels in the surrounding dirt to let the water escape from puddles that swamped the space, George said.
Even hours after the rains stopped, cars still splashed through muddy pools to find parking as the park filled up throughout the afternoon.
On the beach, boys played football, younger kids splashed about while the adults chilled out on logs and chairs and benches partaking of the many feasts spread out on picnic tables and sheds.
The Infernos Troupe was just getting their party going at about 2 p.m. as folks lined up around the barbeque.
At about the same time members of the Jesters Troupe were looking like they were slowing down a bit, maybe working on seconds or thirds.
Chicken wings and burgers were washed down with cold beers and rum drinks as the day warmed up, although the sky never really cleared.
That didn’t stop the Rising Stars, who spread out around shed number one, their traditional prime spot for the day after Carnival where people dished potato stuffing and rice and potato salad from giant tins to go with their burgers and wings.
“We came to the right place,” said Florida visitor Ronald Dumont as he walked the beach. “They know how to do a party.”
With the music still throbbing across Magens Sunday, it was as if Carnival never ended, even as crews in town tore apart the bleachers along the parade route and other workers started dismantling the Village after the rain stopped.
Even with the music and all the leftover revelry, Magens still offered some peace and quiet for families.
“We could have done it at the house, but we’ve got family here from different parts of the world so we said, ‘let’s do it at Magens,’” said Florisa Sprauve, who was attending a family reunion to honor her great grandparents, Ann Barry and Benjamin McClean.
She said she expected about 40 relatives and friends to gather, rain or shine.
Asked what she was going to do with her soggy Sunday at Magens, four-year-old Liah Sprauve looked at the guy asking the silly questions and rolled her eyes.
“Swim!” she said, of course.
