Philipsburg: ---Comedy king Fernando Clark and song diva La-Vaune Henry are among the royals taking part in the fifth anniversary Boardwalk Mas on Saturday, May 16, said parade manager Urmain Dormoy.The parade of masqueraders, drum bands and street theater starts at 5 PM. The parade route is from the eastern part of The Boardwalk (seaside of Pasanggrahan) to the western extent of the promenade (beachfront of Sea Palace), and then returns to the Wathey Square for the free concert program.
Clark will deliver his belly-busting jokes on stage among a roster of modern and folkloric dancers, singers, and musicians.
La-Vaune Henry will lead an ensemble performing classic folk and traditional songs. The musical combo includes Erno York, one of the pan-playing princes from the York clan and Tanny & The Boys, the indomitable stringband of golden-age musicians.
Other royals on the boardwalk for the festival are Carnival queens of 2009, along with folk personality Pa Ben and award-winning twirlers from Les Coeurs Enchantes.
"Masks" is the anniversary theme of the masquerade.
Dormoy said, "there will be bunch of cats (Motiance dancers), jumbies, fish and lobster, devils, and other characters from old time stories" in the Boardwalk Mas.
According to Dormoy, over 40 groups and individual artists are registered to parade on the boardwalk and to perform on the Wathey Square on Frontstreet.
Among the participants are nine marching bands -- including Ebony Steel, Les Explorateurs, St. Jozeph Scouts, Soualiga Jump-Up Brass Band, SCIDD, Baby Rebels, and the visiting Saba Drum Band; Nritya Dance Company; An-La-Ri-La; and the Montessori and Sr. Borgia schools. Rappers Versatile, General Blunty and Mad C, and New Chick will perform on stage, said Dormoy.
Locomotiv, Love Is and Los Diablos; the loveable Grain D'Or; the extraordinary skillful Sualouiga Capoeria; the awesome stilt-walking Chagredandies from St. Kitts-Nevis; Shabba Djembe Drummers and models wearing elaborate headdresses are also scheduled among the boardwalk masqueraders and stage performers, said Dormoy.
The mas ends at 10 pm, following the performance of No Limit Band, the Carnival "Band of the Year."
The Boardwalk Mas is a heritage program of the St. Maarten Tourist Bureau that celebrates the traditional St. Martin festive and parade culture.