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 3 to August 3, 2019 with Carnival Weekend from August 1 to August 3, 2019. The main events of the festival were: the Pan Alive (August 1), the King & Queen Xtavaganza (July 31) and the Grand Parade or Parade of Bands on August 3rd. 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 July 31, 2019 – a beautiful sunny evening 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 2019 Caribbean Carnival Parade.
The 52nd Annual Grand Parade 2019:
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.
Carnival Band of the Year:
Results for Band of the Year:
1st- Louis Saldenah Mas-K Club
2nd – Toronto Revellers
3rd – Tribal Carnival
4th – Carnival Nationz
5th – Venom Carnival
6th – E.P.I.C. Canada
7th – Sunlime Canada
8th – Fantazia Canada
9th – Concept Costume Creators
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 2019 was a great event – the Grand Parade was brilliant with exciting colours – check back for next year’s event.
