Dust off the plumes, re-bend the costume wires, and pull the flatbed trailer and sound system out of storage because Boston Carnival returns to neighborhood streets on Aug. 27 after a two-year hiatus due to COVID-19 protocols. The Caribbean American Carnival Association of Boston (CACAB) announced that the 49th annual Boston Carnival will return, along with the early-morning J’Ouvert Parade.

“I want to tell folks that we would love you to come to the Boston Carnival 49th year celebration and do not think about factionists, think about where God has brought us from, to where we are today – 49 years of Carnival,” said CACAB President Shirley Shillingford. “We had nothing in 2020 and we had a Pandemic Carnival concert in 2021, but we are back in 2022 with the Parade and everything else that goes with Carnival.”

Ruth Georges, a CACAB spokesperson, credits the full return to the leadership of Shillingford, who has headed up the effort since 1991.

“We’re looking forward to celebrating with our bands that are participating in Carnival and J’Ouvert this year,” said Georges. “Boston Carnival is here to stay, and we need to continue to build partnerships and continue to work with those that see the value in building community through the fellowship of celebrating our heritage.”

In earlier years, Carnival has attracted more than 200,000 people to the various events throughout the weekend. CACAB noted that the events bring many visitors to the city and a lot of money spent in business in and around the Dorchester and Mattapan neighborhoods.

However, this year has brought about some controversy with a few local groups calling for a boycott of the 2022 Boston Carnival, Shillingford said. That has happened before, she noted, and this time it revolves around money received to put on the Pandemic Concert last year and to plan for this year. She also alleged that there are simply historic grudges based on her being Jamaican and Carnival being originally from Trinidad.

“It is really painful to hear it from our people – that we get all this money, and no one knows what they do with it,” said Shillingford. “Most of the people that create this thing are from one country and they have a problem with me because I am Jamaican and Carnival did not start in Jamaica, of course.

Shillingford added: “I say I don’t need to know how to bend a wire or attach a plume to still be a good administrator. The proof is in the pudding – 49 years of it. That’s it.”

Several of the best-known masquerade bands, or Mas Bands, will be marching – including Misfit Carnival, Nightlife Nation, No Behavior Crew, French Konxion, Hyde Park Lions Club, JAB Family Boston, Smoov Network, Socaholics, and Island Vybz.

One of the most popular events of the weekend, Shillingford said, is the J’Ouvert Parade, founded by Andre Modestee and Althea Modestee-Labad in the 1990s. This year, starting at 5 a.m., the “breaking of dawn” parade will return on Talbot and Blue Hill Avenues to get the party started. Other highlights will also include the Junior Carnival on Aug. 21 and the Boston Carnival Breakfast at the City Hall Patio on Aug. 26.

“It’s the largest event in the city. It brings to the city a lot of tourists and money,” said Shillingford. “If the city says there will be no more Carnival, I don’t think a lot of the city would feel like they have lost anything.

“The community here would have lost a great deal because it’s one day the community can let their hair down and be in the park and enjoy themselves. The community would miss that.”

Boston Carnival List of Events –

•Sun., Aug. 21 – Kids Jr. Carnival at White Stadium sponsored by Puma Athletics.
•Fri., Aug. 26—Boston Carnival Breakfast hosted by Councilor Ruthzee Louijeune, 9 a.m. to noon at the City Hall Patio.
•Sat., Aug. 27 – J’Ouvert Parade – Let’s Get Dutty! – 5 a.m. – 10:30 a.m., gather at the corner of Talbot Avenue and Millet Street, proceed up Blue Hill Avenue to Columbia Road.
•Sat., Aug. 27 – CACAB Boston Carnival Parade, 1 p.m. – 6 p.m. Masquerade bands, live music, food, drinks, vendors and more. Parade starts at MLK Boulevard in Roxbury and proceeds up Warren Street, then down Blue Hill Avenue to end at the entrance to Franklin Park.