‘Black Star Carnival’ Set to Transform Ghana’s Masquerade Traditions into Tourism Gold

The National Federation of Masqueraders and Fancy Dress of Ghana has announced plans to launch a nationwide carnival initiative aimed at transforming the country’s rich masquerade tradition into a structured platform for tourism and revenue generation. The initiative, called the Black Star Carnival, will feature a three-tier format starting with district-level celebrations, progressing to regional durbars, and culminating in a grand national finale.

According to the Federation, the programme seeks to harness the cultural and economic potential of Ghana’s diverse masquerade and fancy-dress traditions by creating a coordinated calendar of events that will showcase the country’s creative heritage to both local and international audiences.

To provide global expertise and technical guidance, an international delegation from the global carnival community is expected in Ghana. The delegation includes Mr Henry Antoine, President of the World Carnival Commission, and Mr Pax Nindi, Chief Executive Officer of the Commission and President of the Global Carnival Centre. Mr Nindi is recognized for his work in developing sustainable carnival practices and festival infrastructure across Africa and the Caribbean. 

Other delegates include Mr Michael Roberts, Ms Jemma Jordan—popularly known as the “Voice of Carnival”—Ms Claudette Antoine, and Ms Shirley Boston of Carnival USA. The team will collaborate with Ghanaian stakeholders to develop and implement the Black Star Carnival structure.

Speaking on behalf of the Federation, Dr Benjamin Oduro Arhin Jnr, also known as Bnoskka, explained that the initiative is designed to transform what has traditionally been a community-based cultural activity into a viable creative industry.

“This is about transforming what has historically been a community-based tradition into a sustainable creative industry,” he said, highlighting that the structured approach will create multiple entry points for tourism engagement across the country. “A tourist who attends a district celebration, for instance in the Volta Region, may be encouraged to follow the events to the regional level and eventually to the national climax at the Black Star Square,” he added.

Dr Oduro Arhin Jnr noted that the carnival aims to promote cultural tourism across all sixteen regions, generate tax revenue for the state through formalised events, and create sustainable income opportunities for participants in the masquerade value chain. Costume designers, mask carvers, event organisers, transport operators, and hospitality providers are expected to benefit from increased patronage and the formalisation of activities within the sector.

He further emphasized that collaboration with international carnival experts will help position Ghana as a leading destination for cultural tourism in West Africa while preserving the unique identity of the country’s masquerade traditions. The Federation revealed that detailed participation guidelines, including criteria for progression from district to regional and national levels, will be released in the coming weeks. The maiden edition of the Black Star Carnival is expected to begin later this year following the advisory visit by the international delegation.

The Federation is working closely with the Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Creative Arts to ensure the successful rollout of the initiative. During their visit, the delegation will also pay courtesy calls on the Speaker of Parliament and the Presidency, and engage key stakeholders through a National Policy Dialogue on the development and implementation of the Black Star Carnival.