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J'ouvert, Carnival 2026

J'ouvert 2026

  • Past event

Mon, 16 Feb 2026 (times TBC)

Streets of Port of Spain (competition on South Quay)

This event has finished, so tickets are no longer on sale.

How it went

J'ouvert 2026 began in the dark on Carnival Monday, 16 February. On South Quay, Richard Montano retained the J'ouvert King title for a second straight year with "U-N-SEE Running D Corn-Tree", a piece of ole mas political commentary. Laverne Smith won J'ouvert Queen for the third time with a comic take on traffic fines and penalties. The Guardian noted a slight rise in downtown spectators, though some stretches of the route were thinner than in peak years.

Results

  1. J'ouvert King: Richard Montano, "U-N-SEE Running D Corn-Tree"
  2. J'ouvert Queen: Laverne Smith, "Ah fineing he, she and everybody" (traffic warden portrayal)

What happened

J'ouvert opened Carnival 2026 in the early hours of Monday 16 February. Bands of mud, paint and powder masqueraders moved through Port of Spain behind trucks and rhythm sections, while on South Quay the Downtown Carnival Committee's J'ouvert King and Queen competition brought out the ole mas characters.

Richard Montano kept his King title for a second year in a row with "U-N-SEE Running D Corn-Tree", a character costume that, in the Guardian's words, blended humour with critique. Laverne Smith took the Queen title for a third time, playing a traffic warden handing out fines to "he, she and everybody". TTT reported a prize of TT$2,500 each.

Safety notes from 2026

Before Carnival, Assistant Commissioner of Police Garvin Henry of the North-West Division warned revellers not to bring weapons to J'ouvert, saying that anyone caught with a weapon would likely be arrested and "completely out of the Carnival". The glass bottle ban also stayed in place: only alcohol traders could handle glass bottles, and drinks had to be served in non-glass containers.

Looking ahead

J'ouvert 2027 falls on Monday 8 February 2027. See our J'ouvert 2027 listing for what to expect and how to prepare.

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Sources

  1. Trinidad Guardian: Montano, Smith retain PoS J'ouvert crowns
  2. TTT: Laverne Smith and Richard Montano reign again as J'ouvert royalty
  3. Trinidad Guardian: ACP warns revellers weapons mean jail

Last verified 3 October 2026. Spotted something wrong? Send a correction.

Part of the Carnival 2026 archive.