2026 Mas Making – Create Your Own Carnival Headpiece
About the Workshop
Back by popular demand, our Mas Making Workshop returns for Part 2! Following the success of last year’s session, we invite you to create your own Carnival headpiece in a fun, hands-on environment rooted in Caribbean Carnival traditions.
Guided by experienced mas makers, this workshop is open to all skill levels—whether you’re returning or joining us for the first time.
What’s Included
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- All materials to create your headpiece
- Step-by-step guidance from experienced mas makers
- A fun, creative, and cultural experience
Be A Masquerader
✨ Participants will have the opportunity to wear their creations in the i-Land Fest Parade, bringing their designs to life in a celebration of culture and community.
Who Can Join
All ages are welcome. Participants under 12 must be accompanied by a parent or guardian.
No Experience Needed
Just come ready to create, connect, and celebrate!
Register
This workshop is heavily subsidized—however, to help cover some material costs and ensure committed participation, a $20 non-refundable registration fee is required.
2025 Rise of the Phoenix Mas Making (Recap)
Virtual History Learning
We also offered “Mas With Meaning,” a free open discussion exploring the deeper story and purpose of mas (short for masquerade). This session invited participants to reflect on the history, cultural significance, and living traditions of Carnival, tracing how mas has evolved from resistance to celebration.
Mas began in the Caribbean during the era of slavery, when African people, stripped of freedom and identity, used performance, drumming, and disguise as acts of cultural survival and resistance. Through song, dance, and costume, they expressed joy, grief, and rebellion—often mocking colonial elites through “Ole Mas” characters like the Jab Jab, Pierrot Grenade, and Midnight Robber. Over time, these traditions blended with European masquerade and festival elements to create the vibrant Carnival art forms we know today.
Today, mas represents much more than spectacle—it is a living expression of freedom, creativity, and identity. Every costume tells a story; every performance connects past to present. Through “Mas With Meaning,” we explore these roots while encouraging participants to create with intention—understanding not just how to make mas, but why we play it.
This dialogue fosters pride, cultural literacy, and cross-generational learning, ensuring that the deeper meaning of mas—as both art and act of liberation—continues to inspire future creators.
Sponsors
