Exotique Vortex troupe
MARIGOT--The adult carnival parade, a highlight of the 2026 festivities, took place on Sunday afternoon in dry, sunny conditions with eight large troupes in the procession. The troupes made their way through Marigot and out to Bellevue before returning along Rue de Hollande to the start at Agrément roundabout.
Leading the processions was the invited troupe from Guadeloupe “La Tribu des Bamilekes D’ Origin All”, followed by SXM Mass with “Friendly Island Unity” theme , Exotique Vortex and “Kadeleidoscope”, SKA and “Echoes of the Ocean”, Hot N’ Spicy “Checkmate-Spark Deh Road”, Bacchanal Storm and “Tribal Echoes”, Kiskeya, and Uforikmass and “Coastal Oasis.”
Bacchanal
SXM Mass
President of the Saint-Martin Carnival Committee Luciana Raspail
Saint Martin tourism office President Valérie Damaseau
Avid carnival supporter Thierry Gombs from the Collectivité.
SKA troupe
Roller skating emcee Ricky Da Phox
All troupes took part in the choreography judging segment on Rue de La République. The judges were Audrey Claxton, Evelyne Fleming and Rudolph Davis. Prizes for the parade will be given at a later date.
Troupes are judged on seven criteria: timing (10 points), Coordination of movement (15 points), Synchrononisation with music (15 points), theme-music-costume-cohesion (15 points), creativity and originality (15 points), visual-emotional impact (15 points), and technical difficulty (15 points).
Next up is the Mardi Gras Parade on Tuesday, from 2:00pm and the Mardi Gras Block party that evening from 6:00pm. Wednesday is the Swalika Déboulé from 6:00m and the Closing Jump Up at 8:00pm
