Clarence and Jacky Forde will once again be staging an Ol’ Time Carnival outdoor show this summer both in the Park and on the road. “Ol’ Time Carnival, Mama ‘dis is Mas! Is back,” explained Jacky Forde. “This summer we have New characters and a new old story. The Forde’s will be staging a later […]
By Stephen Weir More than 80 reptilian mas’ models slithered, slinked and strutted onto a huge V-shaped stage in Toronto early Sunday morning. Despite a very late start, the models put on a fashion show that wowed the more than 1,000 people who crammed into the Grand Cinnamon Banquet & Convention Centre on McNicoll […]
Carnival Nationz whose theme this year is “The Music of Kes, ” launched its band on Saturday. More than 1.700 carnival fans showed up for the launch at the band’s mas’ camp in Scarborough ( Kes, a soca/pop group which hails from Trinidad , is known for its unique blend of soulful vocals, calypso inspired […]
Caribbean Island Mix ? Well, it could be a potent rum drink. Or a radio program highlighting the torrid beat of the music of the Antilles. Or perhaps a restaurant that serves up the spicy dishes of the Caribbean. But for Toronto Caribbean Carnival 2019, it’s the theme of Costume Creators Cultural Arts, founded by […]
By Stephen Weir All photographs by Anthony Berot Sunlime mesmerized almost 500 fans of Carnival last Friday night in North Toronto. It was almost a full house for the annual Sunlime Mas Band Costume launch. Using the theme “Mesmerize”, over 70 male and female models took to the stage of Eglinton East’s Latvian Cultural Centre […]
By Stephen Weir Atlantic Carnival, one of the newest mas bands taking part in the annual Toronto Caribbean Carnival Parade, isn’t going to be competing in this year’s massive August 3rd event. That doesn’t mean you won’t see them out on the road, or hosting their signature gigantic mas costume launch – they have been […]
The Pan Arts Network’s 8th annual Gospel Praise on Steel concert will be held at a new location this year. The annual show, which was previously staged at the Canada Christian College, will be held on May 11th at Global Kingdom Ministries Church located at 1250 Markham Road in Scarborough. Organizers Wendy Jones and Earl […]
By Stephen Weir The Saldenah family pulled it off. There was too much at stake. Renowned masquerade bandleader Louis Saldenah and his family were able to get a record number – 2,800 people – into the Scarborough Cinnamon Banquet Hall. They had 120 fancy-dressed models on and off the stage before the bar closed at […]
By Lincoln DePradine Changes could be coming to the seteelband fraternity, although no final decision has been made on several proposals discussed last weekend at a meeting of the Ontario Steelpan Association (OSA). The one idea agreed to, at the meeting in Scarborough of OSA band representatives, was to include “panorama’’ as part of the […]
Epic’s band launch Reaching out to the Freudian Id Photos By Anthony Berot and Gilbert Medina By Stephen Weir If Sigmund Freud had attended Saturday night’s Epic Carnival costume launch, he’d probably would have said that it was an event that reached out not to his Ego, but to his Id. The Id is that […]
