In 2025, Sechuns The Band didn’t just take to the road — they took the road, Band of the Year.

For Calvert Francis, the man behind the vision, the win wasn’t just a trophy. It was vindication for an idea born three years ago, when he looked at the post-COVID Carnival and saw something missing. 

Calbert shared “I got the idea, the first Carnival we had after COVID. Normally, you know, I would be in the thick of things during Carnival, working with the different mass bands, distributing drinks, making sure the bars make sense, making sure they look organised, making sure the trucks are branded, and all that sort of stuff.  That year, I was not in Antigua for Carnival for the first time since I was about 14 years old. To realise that there was one band on the road.”

 “I remembered when Carnival had Revellers, Dynamics, Legacy, Wadadli Madness, Xtreme, so many bands.  And to see that we fell from that to only having one band on the road. I said to myself, listen, I have to do something.”

That “something” became Sechuns -The Band, a home for small or struggling bands to come together, share resources, and rebuild their customer base. It is an opportunity to create more options for a varying demographic of mas players.

A Different Kind of Mas

Calbert shares that his aim was never to create a massive band of his own, but to give smaller players a platform until they could stand alone again.

In Sechuns, each partner band runs its own section, complete with unique designs, but shares the heavy lifting: music, trucks, security, marketing, and other fixed costs. He explains, “A lot of bands can design and produce, but they don’t have the logistics, the management, the marketing. That’s where we come in, so they can focus on what they do best.” The model keeps costs manageable and opens the road to new designers who might not have the capital to launch solo. 

But it wasn’t an easy sell. “In Antigua, we don’t have that sense of collaboration. Everybody doubted the concept. Oh, that’s not going to work.”

Calvert admits. “The first year, half the job was explaining the concept, 60 percent of the marketing was just explaining to people how it was going to work. It’s no different from another band that has multiple sections. 

Keeping it Medium

Despite the growth in popularity, Calvert is clear: Sechuns will stay a medium-sized band. “If you keep expanding, you block the very people you set out to help,” he says. The idea is to give partner bands space to grow and, eventually, branch out. 

This approach has already positioned Sechuns as a launchpad for potential comebacks for legacy bands such as Revellers and Silk Dust.

The band’s tagline is a novel road experience. Every year, they add or test something new. A cabana truck one year, a mobile backpack check station the next, even bottle service on the road. Some ideas stick, others don’t, but it’s all part of evolving the experience.

At the heart of Sechuns is accessibility. Costume prices are kept as affordable as possible in a climate where shipping and material costs are rising. And when you register, you’re not just paying for a costume — you’re paying for the package: road vibes, music, drinks, food, and, of course, the now-famous Sechuns goodie bag, which Calbert boasts is “like no other in any carnival in the world”.

Culture in Colour

In an era where some critics claim that Mas has lost its storytelling, Sechuns weaves traditional narrative into modern design. The 2025 presentation impressed with its colour palette, cultural symbolism, and, notably, the fact that most masqueraders wore full coverage costumes. “It’s still Antigua mas,” Calvert says with pride. “And the costumes tell a story.”

That story clearly resonated enough to outshine bigger bands and clinch Band of the Year.

Looking Ahead

For 2026, Sechuns plans to keep the size steady but raise the bar on the masquerade experience. Pre-registration opens soon with loyalty spots for returning players, then for newcomers. “We’re well below the medium threshold,” Calvert says with a grin. “There’s space. But don’t wait too long.”

Three years in, Sechuns has proven that collaboration can work, that culture can thrive in the modern mas space, and that a medium band can stand tall among giants. This isn’t just about winning a title, it’s about rewriting what’s possible on the road.