Brooklyn native Destiny Richard spent close to $4,500 on her trip to South Florida for Miami Carnival this past weekend, including airfare, event tickets, an Airbnb and an intricate neon green costume with a headpiece and feathers. But she said it was "all worth it" to be part of the annual celebration of Caribbean culture that is open to people of all backgrounds. "It's all worth it when you touch the road," she said of being on the parade route. "You don't even remember the process. You're happy to be there and looking at everybody's costume."
Now in its 40th year, Miami Carnival continues to catch the attention of attendees who come from across the world for a weeklong celebration that involves raucous parties filled with music and dancing. Richard, a 30-year-old of Trinidadian descent, was one of approximately 100,000 people who visited to attend the festivities, which started Saturday, Oct. 5, and ended Sunday, Oct. 13.
At the same time, Richard and others say participating in Miami Carnival has become more expensive than ever due to rising costs of travel, accommodations and event tickets. While some Carnival participants say they will not be deterred by rising costs, others have opted to stop attending one of the biggest gatherings of the Caribbean community in America.
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