The upcoming Dimanche Gras celebrations in Trinidad and Tobago will be dedicated to calypso legend The Mighty Sparrow, as part of efforts to recognise his decades-long contribution to Caribbean culture and music.

The announcement was made by Minister of Culture Michelle Benjamin during a media conference at the Queen’s Park Savannah in Port of Spain, where she described the 90-year-old icon as one of the region’s greatest cultural figures.

Dimanche Gras, staged on Carnival Sunday, is regarded as one of the most prestigious events on the Carnival calendar. 

The show traditionally features the finals of the Calypso Monarch competition and serves as a major cultural showcase ahead of the street festivities on Carnival Monday and Tuesday. 

Benjamin said the tribute recognises Sparrow’s influence in elevating calypso to international prominence.

“This Dimanche Gras is an opportunity as a nation to honour the man who gave his voice to our people who used calypso as a tool for celebration and resistance and who took the art form from the backyards of Laventille to the stages to the world,” she said.

Born Slinger Francisco in Grenada and raised in Laventille, Sparrow is widely regarded as the “Calypso King of the World.” Over his career, he secured eight Calypso Monarch titles and produced numerous songs that have become staples of Caribbean music and social commentary.

Meanwhile, the North Stand at the Queen’s Park Savannah will be opened to the public for viewing of the Calypso Monarch finals, as well as Carnival Monday and Tuesday events.