Michael Willmerdinger, of Munich, Germany, is being taught the 'Dutty Wine' by Omeil, one of the Digicel dancing girls, at the Supreme Ventures/Digicel Jamaica Carnival 2007, in Negril, Westmoreland, last Friday. Willmerdinger says it was his first time on stage with a girl and his first time doing the dance. - Photos by Noel Thompson

Noel Thompson, Freelance Writer

WESTERN BUREAU:

Carnival revellers rumbled in The Jungle along Norman Manley Boulevard last Friday night into the wee hours of Saturday morning, and even when the carnival was over, many patrons expressed regret.

It was the annual staging of the Supreme Ventures and Digicel-sponsored Jamaica Carnival which attracted a large turnout of locals and foreigners alike. Many Jamaicans told The Gleaner that they travelled from other parishes in the western end of the island just to attend the carnival, as well as to participate.

Scheduled for a 10:00 p.m. start at the popular Jungle nightclub, Jamaica Carnival kicked off about an hour later with a trickle of patrons inside the premises. But by midnight, the venue was crammed to capacity, forcing patrons to step with care.

On the upper balcony, a large mix of foreigners and locals watched the show from a bird's-eye view where many were seen dancing. It was liquor, smoking and partying all the way.

MCs Lady T and Jerry D opened the show with a flurry of excitement, promising patrons that they were about to experience a carnival like they had not previously witnessed.

By this time, it was evident that patrons' adrenaline had been pumped up and their enthusiasm was almost out of control.

The big belly man, MC Jerry D, moved his body to the popular line of Toots Hibbert's Give It To Me One Time.

Left: Stacey, of Montego Bay, was seemingly so hot to handle, that Joe, of Rock Island, United States, had to get close for a pose at the Supreme Ventures/Digicel Jamaica Carnival 2007, held last Friday at The Jungle, in Negril, Westmoreland.  Right:Thomas Kinkead (left), of Canada, and his pal don pieces of carnival costume paraphernalia during the Supreme Ventures/Digicel Jamaica Carnival 2007, in Negril, Westmoreland, last Friday. - Photo by Noel Thompson

Byron Lee and the Dragonaires stepped up the musical tempo in fine calypso style, while the crowd warmed up for better things to come.

Within minutes, Trinidadian soca singers, Oscar B and Cindy Lewis, took centrestage, accompanied by Jamaican female soca songbird 'Ashley', and their Guyanese counterpart, Jumo Primo.

Teenagers, young and middle-aged people and tourists went wild as the soca experts reeled off hits including Di War Must Done, Mek Di Run, Tilala and an imitation of Elephant Man's Willie Bounce, Buju Banton's Driver and the Sprung Medley made popular by One Third.

Digicel's 2006 Rising Stars winner, One Third, gave a surprise guest performance. Women simply went wild at the mention of their name and when they hit the stage, the place erupted into a frenzy.

Dance competition

The Gleaner 'Tiny Winey' dance competition saw five female contestants giving their best shot to convince the crowd that only one of them was good enough to vie for the $10,000 cash prize in the finals on April 8 at Richmond Park Estates in St. Ann.

Following a stiff dance-off, 20-year-old Monique James, of Savanna-la-Mar, Westmoreland, was voted the winner. Megan, of Cauldwell, Hanover, placed second.

Meanwhile, Peter Costley, busi-nessman of Negril won $10,000 cash in a Supreme Ventures wheel of fortune. At 2:30 a.m., Byron Lee and the Dragonaires were back on stage for the third time to bring the curtain down.