James Boggie of Boston: Boston Caribbean Carnival 2012

Why should you care about a carnival? There are plenty of things to do on a Saturday. Why would you want to attend the Boston Caribbean Carnival 2012?

Yes you!

Do you like politics?

Do you care about your community? Of course you do. Do you like politics? Well, maybe not. The problem with politics today is that it’s so negative. You can never just support something; you always have to oppose something else just as much. Campaigns funnel billions into negative ads, and the media fans the flames. It is so bad that it seems expressing any political opinion automatically provokes some sort of backlash.

None of that holds true at a parade. Marching in a parade is a totally positive way to participate in politics, which is altogether too rare in our modern elections. Parades let you demonstrate your energetic support for something without fear of opposition. Even when opponents meet at parades, it always remains positive. I think that is worth a 1.5 mile, 45 minute march on a Saturday.

I marched with City Councilor Tito Jackson, who happened to be the Grand Marshall of the parade. I met Tito Jackson in 2009 while serving in student government, and we have stayed in contact since. I support Councilor Jackson as a community leader and a public servant. He is totally focused on helping his constitutes solve the problems facing their community. I respect that motivation, and so do his constituents: every time I march with him, people make a point to tell me the ways Councilor Jackson helped them. I absolutely support that kind of work.

Tito Jackson and me, before he got his fabulous sash.

Do you like music and dance?

If you enjoy music and dance, then the carnival is obviously for you. It was the heart and soul of the carnival. You absolutely could not miss it.

There was not a silent foot along the entire route the whole time.

You have to admire how passionate Caribbeans are about their music and their dance. At the carnival, the masqueraders completely lost themselves in the performance. They had no shame.

I do mean no shame.

The masqueraders were having so much fun, they could not care about anything else. That feeling was contagious.

It may not look like it, but that cop was tearing it up.

As if their passion along was not enough, the masqueraders wore amazing costumes. They ranged from simple, to stunningly beautiful, to downright strange.

Seriously, what is that?

Do you like shopping and cultural exploration?

Then you could visit the bazaar at the end of the parade route. In front of the Franklin Park Zoo, vendors gathered to sell Caribbean and Caribbean-American food, clothes, and jewelry.

Boston is not known for bazaars.

It was also a chance to learn a little more about Caribbean culture. I for one tried the Jamaican fruit guinep for the first time. It was exciting. I really like fruit, so it is rare for me to find a type of fruit I have not already tried.

Guinep lady, I will love you forever.

If you cannot tell, I had a ball at the Boston Caribbean Carnival 2012. It was way more fun than I expected. I highly recommend you try it next time. You could march with a politician in the front. You could contact the Caribbean American Carnival Association of Boston to be a masquerader or vender.

You could just jump in.