Martin Luther King had a dream! In 1967, so did the creators of Toronto’s Caribbean Carnival – to showcase Caribbean Canadian culture in Canada! The result was called Caribana which they based on the huge and exciting Trinidad & Tobago Carnival. The founders of Caribana envisioned it as a gift of culture to Canada. This Carnival is a cultural explosion of Caribbean music, (Calypso, Soca, Reggae, Hip Hop, Chutney, Steel Pan and Brass Bands) Caribbean cuisine, revelry as well as visual and performing arts. According to the organizers, it is the largest Carnival in North America! The Carnival is now called Toronto Caribbean Carnival and is run by the Festival Management Committee, a group of business people and City of Toronto officials. It is aimed at not only continuing this gift of culture but also at fiscal stability for all participants in Carnival and for the benefit of the City of Toronto, the Province of Ontario, and the Government of Canada and the corporate sponsors.
This Carnival hit Toronto from July 8 to August 12, 2018 with Carnival Weekend from August 3 to August 5, 2018. The main events of the festival were: the Pan Alive (August 3), the King & Queen Xtavaganza (August 2) and the Grand Parade or Parade of Bands on August 4th. There are also many parties at night clubs which usually start late around 11:30 and go until sunrise.
The King & Queen Competition:
This Toronto Mas Band Association showcase was held on August 2, 2018 – a beautiful sunny day at Lamport Stadium in Toronto, Ontario Canada. The Mas Bands’ Kings, Queens and individuals performed for the judges and an ecstatic crowd. They were judged on many factors such as the details of costumes, how that costume represents the theme and the performance. These Mas Bands also performed during the 2018 Caribbean Carnival Parade.
The 51st Annual Grand Parade 2018:
The jewel of this Carnival is the grand parade – imagine pulsating rhythms of Calypso, Soca and Steel Bands dancing along Lakeshore Blvd., with thousands of brilliantly costumed MAS Bands spirited together. Each year, TorontoArtsandEvents! is amazed by the colours and the artistic genius shown in the parade! The participants were wearing vibrant and colourful costumes and dancing to soca, calypso and steel drum music.
Official Results 2018
King and Queen:
- Shane Reid Mungal, EROS: D’GOD OF LOVE, Carnival Nationz
- Nicholas Guy, D’MYSTERY OF CHICHEN-ITZA – SPRING EQUINOX AWAKENS Saldenah Carnival
- Shawn Tony, THE JABAWAKI, Tribal Carnival
Male Individual:
- Adam Ali, LEAPING INTO SPRING, Saldenah Carnival
- Courtney St. Louis, ABSOLUM, Tribal Carnival
- Fabian Lee, COSMIC OVERLORD, Sunlime Canada
Queen of the Bands:
- Celena Seusahai, THE WHITE QUEEN, Tribal Carnival
- Joella Crichton, HARMONY, Carnival Nationz
- Michelle Reyes, DE RISE OF THE CHERRY BLOSSOMS, Saldenah Carnival
Female Individual:
- Mischka Crichton, INTO THE LIGHT, Carnival Nationz
- Elise Roopchan, MARIPOSA EN PELIGRO, Toronto Revellers
- Faith Hermelijn, GODDESS OF GLACIERS, Saldenah
Carnival Band of the Year:
- Saldenah Carnival, Wonders Of Spring
- Carnival Nationz, L.O.V.E.
- Tribal Carnival, Wonderland
About the Toronto Caribbean Carnival
Martin Luther King had a dream! In 1967, so did the creators of Toronto’s Caribbean Carnival – to showcase Caribbean Canadian culture in Canada! The result was then called Caribana which they based on the huge and exciting Trinidad & Tobago Carnival. The founders of Caribana envisioned it as a gift of culture to Canada. This Carnival is a cultural explosion of Caribbean music, (Calypso, Soca, Reggae, Hip Hop, Chutney, Steel Pan and Brass Bands) Caribbean cuisine, revelry as well as visual and performing arts. According to the organizers, it is the largest Carnival in North America! The Carnival is now called Toronto Caribbean Carnival and is run by the Festival Management Committee, a group of business people and City of Toronto officials. It is aimed at not only continuing this gift of culture but also at fiscal stability for all participants in Carnival and for the benefit of the City of Toronto, the Province of Ontario, and the Government of Canada and the corporate sponsors.
Toronto’s Caribbean Carnival 2018 was a great event – the Grand Parade was brilliant with exciting colours – check back for next year’s event.
#peeks, #GoToCarnival, #CNz, #Tribalcarnival, #SaldenahCarnival
© 2018 Photographs, Article and layout by TorontoArtsandEvents. Editors please contact us for use.
