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TIMES SQUARE TURNS CARNIVAL CENTRAL: SUGAR MAS 54 LAUNCH SPARKS LAVISH JAM WITH MINISTERS, DRINKS, AND DANCE AT JASMINE’S NYC

New York City – June 4, 2025 — It was Soca, spirits, and sweet Kittitian vibes in the heart of Times Square as Jasmine’s Caribbean Cuisine played host to an exclusive, packed-to-capacity launch party for Sugar Mas 54, the flagship cultural celebration of St. Kitts and Nevis.

The cozy upscale Caribbean eatery overflowed with dozens of specially invited guests—including travel writers, influencers, media execs, and top-tier diaspora personalities—all there to wine, dine, and toast to culture with three high-ranking government ministers: Minister of the Creative Economy Samal Duggins, Tourism Minister Marsha Henderson, and Premier of Nevis Mark Brantley.

With flashing cameras, flowing rum punch, and Kittitian beats heating up the room, the trio of ministers looked completely at home in the limelight, mingling with guests and delivering speeches steeped in patriotism, promise, and party energy.

“Sugar Mas is more than a carnival,” said Minister Duggins, cocktail in hand. “It’s the soul of a people. And tonight, we bring that soul to the Big Apple!”

The 2025 Sugar Mas Media Launch was strategically aligned with the Caribbean Tourism Organization’s (CTO) Caribbean Week in New York, leveraging the media-rich environment to give St. Kitts and Nevis’ cultural brand a bold, global push.

The event featured stunning visual presentations, carnival model showcases, and a buzzing energy that left travel agents and influencers hungry to book their next trip to Basseterre.

“Jasmine’s couldn’t hold any more,” quipped one guest. “It felt like a pre-J’ouvert jam in Times Square!”

Backed by the St. Kitts Tourism Authority and the National Carnival Committee, the launch underscored a renewed commitment to cultural diplomacy through entertainment, fashion, and food—turning heads, raising eyebrows, and setting the tone for what promises to be one of the biggest Sugar Mas seasons yet.

As the night ended with laughter, dancing, and endless selfies with the ministers, one thing became clear: St. Kitts just dropped a cultural bombshell in the middle of Manhattan.

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