Batabano

The Adult Batabano celebrations take place in one of the first weekends in May. It features a road parade composed, for the most part, of Masquerade Bands, and exotic costumes. The celebrations start around midday, and the parade launches at 1pm from Public Beach to Harbour Drive. The parade passes a number of Batabano hot spots along its famous route.[6] Judges are located near the Governor’s house for the final judging of costumes.[6] Many other events take place on the day of Batabano, including the bazaar and street party.[3] The street party begins at 6pm and usually features nine DJs across three stages.[7] The bazaar is located at Cardinal Avenue and Albert Panton Street.[8]

Junior Batabano was first introduced in 2002, adding a more family-friendly aspect to the celebration.[1][9] By 2005, Junior Batabano had evolved from a singular program that was held before the adult parade, to an event that spans an entire day.[1][9] Children participate in a parade, which ends with a panel of pageant judges who are tasked with awarding the best junior band.[1][9] The local schools' PTAs organize face painting, mask decorating, and food stalls for after the parade.[1] Junior Batabano typically takes place a week before the adult parade and celebration.[1][9]

Batabano typically features soca music- a type of calypso music with elements of soul.[3] The lyrics usually are about life or politics, feeding into the idea that Batabano celebrates social justice. Masquerade bands are extremely popular at the Batabano celebrations. Some include Carnival Nationz, and Tribal Cayman.[10] The bands for the upcoming carnival are announced at the “All Ah We” band launch. This event is held months before the Batabano celebrations begin.[11]

Batabano is known for its extravagant costumes. The Masquerade Bands that partake in the parade use costumes to highlight their performances. At the end of both the Junior and Adult parade, the best costumes of the year are recognized and awarded. Traditional men’s costumes include shorts, feathered headdresses, and jeweled neck pieces and cuffs.[12] Women’s full costume usually includes a multicolored bikini, feather headdresses, leg pieces, and extra tail feathers.[12] Corsets and capes are offered as optional extras.[12] Costumes are debuted along with the Masquerade Bands at the "All Ah We" band launch. The Junior Batabano costumes are slightly less extravagant and tend to cover more skin.

Reba Dilbert is a popular costume designer on the island.[12] She is known for creating large and exotic pieces.[12] Her costumes have been featured at over 30 Batabano celebrations.[13] The costumes are designed to reflect the flora, fauna, and marine life of the Cayman Islands.[13] Blue costumes represent the island’s water, and green costumes represent the environment.[2] Dilbert has expressed her intentions to design costumes that will offer more coverage than in previous years.[14] Her plan is to take the nakedness away from Batabano and focus more on the bright colors and themes of the costumes.[14] In 1998, Dilbert was nominated for Outstanding Work in Costume Design by the Cayman National Cultural Foundation, and in 2002 she won the Best National Costume in the Miss Bikini World (Malta) and Miss Tourism World (Turkey) pageants.[14]

Makeup is an important feature of the Batabano costumes. Bright colors and glitter are often used to accent the costumes, and darker makeup looks can be used to contrast the costumes.[12] Feather eyelash extensions made to match the costumes are a popular look.[12] Kadian Edie is a makeup artist in the Cayman Islands who specializes in tribal tattoos around the eyes, which give a dramatic element to the costumes. They are created using lace and other stencils, and an airbrush.[12]