This year’s 19th annual DC Caribbean Carnival parade, scheduled for Saturday on Georgia Avenue NW, almost didn't happen.

The annual procession, featuring costumed participants on flatbed trucks and on foot, requires a large police presence, and last year the D.C. Police Department hit organizers with an overtime bill, of which $53,000 is still owed. In May, Carnival Executive Director Loughton Sargeant told the Washington Informer that he was in negotiation with the Metropolitan Police Department and the Mayor's office regarding the bill. Why so much money? In an email, Sargeant tells Arts Desk that last year's overtime costs were for protection for the mayoral candidates who participated in the event.

Police are allowing this year's parade to take place—and they're deferring payment of last year's bill—on one condition: Organizers agreed to shorten the route by 1.5 miles. So this year’s event, featuring 25 troupes, will start further south at Georgia and Kansas Avenue and end at Georgia Avenue and Bryant Street in a Howard University parking lot, rather than at Banneker Field.

While Sargeant is concerned for the merchants losing sales on the portion of Georgia that is no longer part of the parade, he says he's confident that this year’s shorter route will be a success. “Most of the Caribbean islands are represented,” he writes. ”Once the parade kicks off you will see the colors and flags representing the various islands including the English-, Spanish-, and French-speaking islands.”

Expect flamboyantly feathered marchers and the frenetic, bouncy sounds of island music.  Most of the companies will feature booming soundsystems or pan drummers. There will be music and food in the afternoon after the parade at the Howard parking lot, which is being billed as “De Savannah,” as well as a number of evening concerts all weekend featuring numerous Caribbean stars.  Trinidadian soca star Iwer George will be headlining the post-parade Saturday afternoon event.

Sargeant, who says the parade draws more than 300,000 people each year, hopes the event can someday return to its longer length. In the meantime, he says his organization is working on an economic study to demonstrate the parade's benefits for business along the parade route.

The D.C. Caribbean Carnival Parade takes place Saturday and starts at Georgia Avenue and Kansas Avenue NW at 11 a.m.  It heads south to the Howard Center parking lot at Georgia Avenue & Bryant Street NW, where the “De Savannah” marketplace will be open from noon to 8 p.m. "De Savannah" admission is $10.

Related concerts:

Friday June 24th:
Flags Till Morning (soca fest) from 10 pm till 4 am  featuring Iwer George, Makamillion
Leonce , Yankee Boy Diamond,  Pumpa,  Lyrical Orlando Octave, and Razor Show at The Hampton Center, 207 W. Hampton Place, Capital Heights, MD
Tickets are available  in advance at Crown Bakery 202-291-3009 ;Under The Coconut Tree 240-764-8301; Island delights 443-426-7601

Machel Montano and the HD Band from 9pm until 4 am at DC Star Nightclub, 2135 Queens Chapel Road NE.

Chutney Soca Affair from 9 pm until 4 am featuring Rikki Jai, X3ME International ft. Slnya Lakhan, Major Tassa Band, Calypsonian Saga, DJs Wayne, Easy E, and Daddy O at Mirage Hall, 1401 University Blvd., Hyattsville, MD.  Tickets $35 More At Door Tickets On Sale at Crown Bakery, 5409 Georgia Avenue NW, Caribbean Grocery
7505 New Hampshire Ave., Takoma Park, MD

You Know You're a Rockist if...: The Washington Post's music critics give their top five albums of the year, so far. The only record to appear on more than one list? Yuck, by Yuck. Says Allison Stewart: "The best Superchunk album of the year."

You Know It's the Caribbean Carnival if...: Well, if Beenie Man's pumping through the sound system. In time for tomorrow's D.C. Caribbean Carnival parade along Georgia Avenue, TBD's Sarah Godfrey points to an event-themed mixtape. More on the parade later today.

Today on Arts Desk: The skinny on Dino Jr.'s nostalgia fest, Gaia moves on up to the Corcoran, chillwave for dummies.

The DC Caribbean Carnival is more than just the 11 a.m. Saturday parade down Georgia Avenue and the two concerts in Banneker Park on Saturday and Sunday afternoons from noon till 7.  It is also the late night concerts and dj’d parties going on from, well, Thursday night through Monday morning.  WPFW 89.3 DJ Tony Carr (whose fine show is on Sunday night/Monday morning 12 to 2 a.m.) has most of the events on his dccaribbeanconnection website.  Here are a few  I recommend:

Saturday night brings a Jamaican dancehall host, Beenie Man, along with mostly soca artists to the DC Star Club.  Performers include Fayann Lyons and her husband, rough-voiced Bunji Garlin, Hunter Patch, rising star Benjai, the always catchy Destra Garcia (pictured), and Trini Jacobs at the DC Star Club, 2135 Queens Chapel Road NE.

The Promoter for Saturday night’s Machel Montano gig is billing him as “The Biggest Soca Artist in the World.”  That is not mere hype.  I hope that his wonderful band Xtatik (also now known as HD) will be with him.  They wowed me several years ago at the Crossroads with their ability to play frenetic soca, r’n’b, reggae, and rock as the charismatic Montano prowled the stage dispensing vocals that worked well with every style.  With the right marketing, he could have appeal beyond the Caribbean community. He will joined by NY and DC djs from 10PM – 4AM at Zanzibar on the Waterfront, 700 Water Street SW, Washington DC, 202-536-4004.