The overwhelming support for the event has forced organisers of the International Soca Monarch Competition to move the venue of next year's semi-final to the greens at the Queen's Park Savannah, Port-of-Spain.
The preliminaries are expected to begin on January 4, while the Fantastic Friday event will take place on February 13 at the Hasely Crawford Stadium.
This year's competition will also see the return of the Carib Breakout artiste competition, good news to the many new entrants to the soca arena this year.
Speaking at the official launch of the event yesterday at the Brian Lara Promenade, Port-of-Spain, spokeswoman Jeniece Scoon described the event as more than just a headlining Carnival show.
"It has grown into a catalyst that can fuel the transformation of the soca industry.
"Our intent, beyond producing a mega show, is to engage the artists, managers, writers, music producers, video producers, dancers and other professionals that make significant contributions to this industry," she said.
Scoon said organisers were bringing in local and foreign experts to ensure their various programmes were successful.
"Our desire is to continue producing more Soul Train Award Winners and Grammy Award Winners that take our soca music to the world," she added.
Guardian Media Limited managing director Lisa Agard said the competition had been growing from strength-to-strength each year.
Guardian Media Limited and Carib Brewery, the National Lotteries Control Board and KFC are sponsors of the event.
Colin Murray, sponsorship and event manager at Carib Brewery Limited, promised the Breakout Artiste category would be back next year.
Yesterday, the organisers brought the launch, previously held only for media, to a few hundred people at the promenade. The fans braved the rainy weather to stay for the launch and show which featured several soca artistes.
Holding red Digicel umbrellas, people danced and sang while mingling with Dame Lorraines, Moko Jumbies and Blue Devils as soca artistes, mostly the new generation, like Erphaan Alves, Akeem Chance (Preedy) and Kenneth Richards (K Rich), sang their songs.
Minister of Arts and Multiculturalism Lincoln Douglas also spoke at the event. (See page A7)