By ,
The annual D.C. Caribbean Carnival is in serious financial trouble and may not occur this year, organizers say.
City officials say they will not sign off on the Caribbean Carnival until the event’s organizers pay off hundreds of thousands of dollars owed to the District for police and other services provided for the 2010 and 2011 carnivals.
But the people behind the carnival say they do not have the $210,000 owed to the city.
The festival, usually staged in June on Georgia Avenue NW, celebrates pan-Caribbean culture and the carnival experience.
Last year, the city allowed organizers to carry over a debt from the 2010 event, but now officials appear to be taking a harder line.
In letters to event organizers, D.C. officials have sought payment of the $210,437.38, mostly for security and public works expenses. The most recent letter, from Deputy Mayor Paul Quander said “approval of the 2012 Carnival would be contingent upon payment of any outstanding balances from the 2010 and 2011 Carnivals.”
As the event’s finances stand, organizers would not be able to pay back the entire debt and pay for the coming summer’s carnival, according to Roland Barnes, carnival president.
To try to save money, organizers are considering other locations, but the event has struggled to attract donations and sponsors in recent years. The parade route, which ends at Barry Place NW, near Howard University, used to stretch as far north as Missouri Avenue NW. But it was shortened last year and went only as far north as Kansas Avenue NW.
If the event were held elsewhere in the city, it would not be the first time. Organizers moved it downtown in 2003, hoping to attract more sponsorship. But after uproar over the move, the festival returned to Georgia Avenue the next year, said Loughton Sargeant, the executive director.
The downtown carnival lacked the “community feel” of the Georgia Avenue events, Barnes said. Barnes predicted that something similar would happen if the event needed to move elsewhere this year. “It would be very impersonal,” Barnes said. “On Georgia Avenue, families can come out on the avenue, bring their lawn chairs. You can’t enjoy that in places like downtown.”
D.C. Council member Jim Graham (D-Ward 1) has participated in the event, which runs through his ward.
“It is one of the best days in the District of Columbia,” he said.
But Graham said the major issue is the committee’s debt to the city, and he hopes to work out a way for the city to be paid and the carnival to go ahead.
The office of D.C. Council member Muriel Bowser (D-Ward 4) is coming to the event’s aid, said Rob Hawkins, Bowser’s legislative director. Bowser’s office will work with event organizers to “identify a new venue” for the event, which occurs partially within Bowser’s ward.
A study released in April by the Howard University School of Business found that the carnival had a significant effect on local businesses. An estimated 400,000 people attended the event in 2011, spending more than $21 million and providing nearly $1.3 million in sales tax revenue to the city.
A move away from Georgia Avenue — or the outright cancellation of the event — would affect Georgia Avenue businesses, said Allison J. Morgan, a Howard professor and one of the study’s co-authors. “Those businesses would definitely see a decrease in revenue over the course of the year,” she said. click for full story
Replies
bottom line is there must be proper budgeting and a financial plan. This year should not have to carry last year debts. It is happening all over the US. some steelbands collect IOU's when they win a competition.
Steve ... IOUs are another debate altogether. Answer me one thing: do you fault the DC govt. for demanding financial resolution of the DC carnival debt situation? Can you name any error on their part?
Thank you, Peter
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EXACTLY, Peter Gray.
The question is (as always) -- WEY DE MONEY GONE???
we've supported DC carnival for YEARS - both as a steelband on the road spending ridiculous amounts to go and participate - and NEVER GET PAID -- as well as the individuals who have spent MILLIONS of dollars there over the past couple years... why they didn't pay their debts with all the money people have already spent supporting them? millions have been poured in to that carnival, yet somehow the committee has stayed in debt to the city, and have not paid what they owe, for YEARS now. I really can't have any sympathy fi dem.
and why they waiting til 5 weeks before the event date and now comin out crying crocodile tears "help we, help we, we NEEEED the community to support to make it happen"..... well, excuse me but the community HAS supported - for many years - and what is hapnin to all that money we BEEN sinking into DC carnival for the past several years?
they have known since LAST YEAR that they had these debts to pay - since BEFORE last year even - it messed up the carnival last year too, when they shut the parade down at 2 in the afternoon. We spent more time waiting to get going in the morning, than we spent *ON* the road. it was great while it lasted - but it was a flicking joke - just as we got going, they shut everything down.
so why the committee wait until NOW to come out with this - AGAIN? This shoulda BEEN DONE been taken care of months ago -- not wait til a month away and then start scrambling.
Until the committee handles they business, and pays what they owe, and HAVE owed, for YEARS now - the DC carnival will be in trouble. and they not getting one more dime from me.
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Thanks, Catt:
Well said ... a d to ALL of you out there: can you tell me why, when the DC govt. requested a financial audit/accounting for the previous years' carnival(s), none was produced? Or why such an accounting is not provided free of charge to ALL (not just supporters and participants) who would like to see it?
Anyone?
I dun talk now. Peter
it just irks the HELLOUTTAME that evey year the people crying about "they don't respect we culture", 'they don't understand" -- that may indeed be true.... but it's not the point. THAT is not the reason that DC Carnival is in trouble. The issue is that until *WE* -- the Carnival community -- honors the agreements we have made, including paying our bills - we will never be respected in turn.
imho, i personally think the city government has bent their backs to help the carnival - they have let it go on, in spite of mounting unpaid debt for at least 2 years now .... I don't blame them for saying 'No more'' - "now you either pay up or your'e done".
This comes up every year, just a few short weeks til the event date, with all kinda cowbawling, but somehow they can never do something about it in the whole year between carnivals -? - That's when it should be taken care of. i have to SMDH and LMAO at the same time.
if we want the city government to respect us, and respect and support carnival, we must be good citizens in the community also - and keep our promises - and pay we bills.
Can someone tell me how these people that put on the Carnival in England, Canada and the US generate funds so that they could pay the cities for policing and clean-up?
you are right bout those steelband IOU's, PANJAMMERS steelband from wash dc have one or two of those IOU's from NY carnival, Emlyn (band leader) been trying to get that money from them, never did.(ask him, he will tell you)
Right you are, Bede ... I'm aware of that situation.
Peter
If the business people in the Community benefits from event but is not willing to assist in sponsoring the parade, then the parade should be moved to another area where the business community is willing to do so. People from the community will follow it. Look at Caribana, it is not in the W.I. community, but it is well attended by the people of the W.I. community. Carnival and Steelband cannot survive if they are sold as being free, and it is time all realize that. It is now a business. You cannot be benefitting from the parade but unwilling to contribute to it financially.
I quite agree with you, the community business people are the benficaries they should be giving their share to keep DC carnival going
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