Rum for Christmas – a potent shot of carnival vibes
Published:Monday | December 30, 2019 | 12:33 AMKimberley Small/Staff Reporter
As they gear up to celebrate their 20th march through Kingston, Bacchanal Jamaica closed the decade with Rum for Christmas, the first of its kind. Decor comprising shiny blue and silver fabric, and one patron sporting a Santa Claus hat, were the only indicators that the event was Christmas-themed. But everything else – from the pelting sun, the premium mixes served in coconuts, the well-stocked ham and other food stations, and the revellers garbed in bright colours and floral prints – indicated that Christmas was over, and everyone was ready for Easter.
Hosted in Hope Gardens last Saturday, Rum for Christmas is an offshoot of the brand’s well-supported Rum for Breakfast series. “We’re very pleased with the turnout. You always have a little worry when you have a first-time party, but it’s working out great,” Bacchanalist Michael Ammar told The Gleaner.
Ammar has suffered such worries for decades. Though it has been 20 years of Bacchanal on the road, it has been 31 years of carnival in Jamaica.
“From we started Oakridge, it’s been a long time. But it’s been a fantastic journey. Bacchanal has always renewed itself over the years, bringing in new people. We change faces. But we always deliver one thing – the ultra-premium experience. That’s what people want,” Ammar added.
For this ultra-premium experience, patrons were treated to cranberry mimosas upon entry. In an admirable sustainability effort, bartenders happily encouraged patrons to collect their branded, reusable Rum for Christmas cups. Beloved snack brand Soldanza also offered free reusable drinking cups. Admirable, too, were those patrons coming to party with their own mugs.
And there was a bounty of food. Boiled food, ackee and salt fish, BBQ chicken, a variety of doughnuts and other pastries, pancakes, smoothies and other snacks were plentiful and accessible.
To make the event whole, the partygoers were treated to the talents of DJ Cyclone, DJ Nicco, DJ Tyler, and DJ Duchess from Trinidad and Tobago. They kept the dance floor busy and full of energy, with support from the tireless emcee Marlon Musique. In a most memorable delivery, DJ Duchess descended from the stage to join the crowd in a dust-kicking stampede, as she played Kes The Band’s already classic 2019 hit, Savannah Grass.
Even when the audience stopped kicking up dust – appearing to mill about and socialise – whenever the deejays turned the volume down, there rose healthy, loud choruses, singing along with eyes closed and cups (or coconuts) raised.