Hollywood Carnival 2017 | EPIC Mas Brings “Guilty Treasures” to Hollywood Boulevard
On Saturday, June 24, 2017, Hollywood Boulevard transformed into a Carnival road as masqueraders, music trucks and bands filled the streets of Los Angeles for the sixth annual Hollywood Carnival.
Among the bands was EPIC Mas, returning with its 2017 presentation, “Guilty Treasures.” Julianspromos supported the presentation in the weeks leading into Carnival, and when parade day arrived, Sheniele “Vivaa” Dodson and Intrigue Lane joined EPIC Mas in costume representing Julianspromos on the road.
By this point, Hollywood had become familiar territory for Julianspromos. After several years of covering Carnival and its surrounding events in Los Angeles, 2017 brought a different experience — promoting the mas before the parade and then participating inside the band itself.
Hollywood Carnival Returns to Los Angeles
Hollywood Carnival had grown quickly since its launch earlier in the decade.
Presented as part of the Los Angeles Culture Festival, the celebration brought Caribbean Carnival traditions together with cultures from around the world through mas, music, dance, food and live entertainment.
For the 2017 parade, bands and masqueraders took over Hollywood Boulevard before continuing toward the Carnival Culture Village, bringing Carnival color and movement through one of Los Angeles’ most recognizable districts.
The year marked the festival’s sixth annual edition, with EPIC Mas among the bands helping build the Caribbean mas experience in Hollywood.
EPIC Mas Returns with “Guilty Treasures”
EPIC Mas had developed alongside Hollywood Carnival over several seasons, growing from earlier involvement in the Los Angeles mas scene into a full band with its own presentations.
For 2017, EPIC introduced “Guilty Treasures.”
The presentation launched on March 24, 2017, at The Belasco in Los Angeles, giving masqueraders their first look at the costumes that would eventually reach Hollywood Boulevard.
The presentation featured three sections:
D’OR — designed by Keisha Als
DULCE — designed by Anya Elias
BIJOU — designed by Shawn Dhanraj
The campaign invited masqueraders to join EPIC Mas for its June 24 road experience during Hollywood Carnival.
Building the Guilty Treasures Experience
EPIC’s 2017 campaign extended beyond the costumes.
Promotional material connected the band with Machel Montano, who was billed as host, while EPIC also featured a group of celebrity ambassadors including Kreesha Turner, Charisse Mills, Khadija Shari, Melissa Molinaro and Sasha Gates.
Music was another major part of the presentation’s identity.
Promotional artwork featured DJs including DJ Stephen, Willy Wonka and DJ Spice, helping establish the sound surrounding EPIC Mas before Carnival day.
The masquerader package also included features such as private security, on-site paramedics, mobile restrooms, shuttle service, roaming photographers, EPIC souvenirs and access to the EPIC Cool Zone at Carnival Village.
EPIC was building more than a costume package. It was creating a complete road experience around Guilty Treasures.
Julianspromos Promotes EPIC Mas Before Carnival
Julianspromos supported the Guilty Treasures presentation in the weeks leading into Hollywood Carnival.
Sheniele “Vivaa” Dodson worked as an EPIC Mas promotional partner, helping connect the band and its costume registration campaign with the Julianspromos audience.
Two Julianspromos promotional videos were published on May 5, 2017, seven weeks before the parade.
EPIC Mas Presents “Guilty Treasures”
Hollywood Carnival 2017 with EPIC Mas
The videos helped introduce Guilty Treasures to the Julianspromos audience and build anticipation for EPIC Mas’ June 24 appearance on Hollywood Boulevard.
EPIC Mas Takes Guilty Treasures to Hollywood Boulevard
On June 24, the campaign became Carnival.
EPIC Mas brought Guilty Treasures onto Hollywood Boulevard as masqueraders filled the road in jeweled costumes, feathers and designs from the band’s three sections.
For Julianspromos, the road experience was different from previous years. Vivaa and Intrigue participated as masqueraders in costume, representing Julianspromos from inside the EPIC Mas presentation.
Sheniele “Vivaa” Dodson with EPIC Mas
Vivaa’s connection with Guilty Treasures began before Carnival day.
After working as an EPIC Mas promotional partner during the campaign, Sheniele “Vivaa” Dodson joined the band in costume on Hollywood Boulevard while representing Julianspromos.
Sheniele “Vivaa” Dodson with EPIC Mas during Hollywood Carnival 2017.
Her appearance added another chapter to her years with Julianspromos. After interviewing artists and appearing in Carnival coverage across several destinations, Hollywood 2017 placed her directly inside the mas.
Intrigue Lane with EPIC Mas
Intrigue Lane also joined EPIC Mas in costume for the 2017 Hollywood Carnival parade.
Representing Julianspromos inside the Guilty Treasures presentation, Intrigue became part of the band’s road experience as EPIC moved along Hollywood Boulevard.
Intrigue Lane with EPIC Mas during Hollywood Carnival 2017.
Together, Vivaa and Intrigue gave Julianspromos a presence inside the band as participants in Hollywood Carnival.
Hollywood Carnival 2017 Photo Gallery
The gallery documents EPIC Mas and its Guilty Treasures presentation during Hollywood Carnival 2017, including Vivaa and Intrigue Lane representing Julianspromos on Hollywood Boulevard.
From the Julianspromos Archives
Hollywood Carnival had become an important part of Julianspromos’ expansion beyond New York during the middle of the 2010s.
By 2017, that relationship had evolved. Julianspromos helped promote EPIC Mas’ Guilty Treasures presentation before Carnival, while Vivaa and Intrigue Lane represented the platform from inside the band on June 24.
The photographs and two May 2017 promotional videos preserve both sides of that connection — the build-up before Carnival and the experience once EPIC Mas reached Hollywood Boulevard.
The appearance also came near the end of Julianspromos’ original era of regular Carnival and event coverage.
Less than three months later, the team’s appearance with StronJeh International on Eastern Parkway in New York would become the final Carnival and public event Julianspromos documented outside of its continuing UberSoca Cruise work for the next nine years.
Hollywood Carnival 2017 therefore sits close to the end of an important chapter built through years of traveling, promoting, documenting and participating in Caribbean Carnival culture across multiple cities.
With Guilty Treasures, Julianspromos was not simply watching from the sidelines.
It was on the road.
