Above: carnival last year in Cap-Haitien

By the Caribbean Journal staff

Haiti officially launched the 2014 carnival season on Monday with a press conference at the Ministry of Culture in Port-au-Prince.

Following a trend of holding the country’s national carnivals outside of the capital, this year’s National Carnival will be held in the city of Gonaives.

The 2014 carnival will be held under the theme “Tet Kole power yon Ayiti pi djanm,” or “heads together for a stronger Haiti.”

The festival will run from March 2 to March 4, with pre-carnival festivities hosted in Artibonite on Jan. 26, Feb. 2, Feb. 9 and Feb. 16.

The Ministry said 340 hotel rooms had been listed for visitors.

Last year, the country made an effort to certify small bed and breakfasts and guest houses for the carnival, which was held in Cap-Haitien, although it’s not yet clear how many such properties will be participating this year in the Gonaives area.