The National Cultural Foundation is moving to restimulate the tradition of large masquerade costumes within the Crop Over Festival, with six new large costumes selected for production across key thematic areas.

The initiative forms part of the NCF’s ongoing efforts to preserve, celebrate and re-energise traditional elements of the festival while creating opportunities for designers and design teams to showcase their creativity, craftsmanship and love of masquerade.

The Kings and Queens of the Bands competition was previously staged as part of the Cohobblopot show and was last held in 2009. At that time, the competition was discontinued due to concerns about declining numbers and the standard of large costumes being produced.