Helon Francis, the Trinidad 2018 calypso monarch, and Rondell Donawa who placed third in the competition for the coveted crown, will be the headliners at the Calypsoca Extravaganza to be held at the St.Peter and Paul Banquet Hall in Scarborough on Sunday July 29. Among the leading local artistes who will be appearing at the […]
It was deja vu on Sunday for two teen-aged mas’ players from Whitby, Ontario Evan Murphy, 14, and Canesha Edwards,16 who were adjudged king and queen respectively in the 2017 Junior King and Queen competition, organized by the Peeks Toronto Caribbean Carnival, were repeat winners in the 2018 competition. Murphy from Venom Carnival, portrayed ” […]
By Oscar Wailo In my early years as a columnist for The Caribbean Camera, my most joyful moments were inspired by what we called “Caribana Season.” Yes, for us, Caribana (now called Peeks Toronto Caribbean Carnival) was not simply the Saturday masquerade, but a full season when the calypso tents opened, steelbands gathered up their […]
Veteran carnival bandleader Louis Saldenah, popularly known as Sally, has won the “band of the year” award no fewer than 18 times in his illustrious mas’ producing career in Toronto which started in 1977. This year he is presenting Wonders of Spring, a band with 17 sections […]
By Lincoln DePradine An agreement has been reached that ensures steelpan music will form part of the entertainment package for the 2018 Peeks Toronto Caribbean Carnival. This follows a meeting last Thursday with officials of the Ontario Steelpan Association (OSA) and the Festival Management Committee (FMC), the organizers of the carnival, as well as representatives […]
It all started in 1966 with a call from City of Toronto’s Parks Commissioner Tommy Thompson. The Commissioner had dropped in at a Caribbean airline office in Toronto to float an idea about a West Indian celebration in 1967 of Canada’s one hundredth year of Confederation. Why not a Trinidad-style carnival? Michael Martinez, the office […]
Viey la cou, a presentation of traditional ole mas’ characters, will be the highlight of the Bac & All festival to be held at The Bentway on Saturday July 28. The performance, led by actor, director and storyteller, Rhoma Spencer,”will take guests through an engaging performance of Caribbean traditions complete with an upbeat rhythm section […]
By Lincoln DePradine Funding for the 2018 Peeks Toronto Caribbean Carnival from the three levels of government amounts to less than $1 million, with the City of Toronto as the largest contributor. Toronto Mayor John Tory announced on Tuesday that the city’s allocation to the event, organized by the Festival Management Committee (FMC), was […]
If you ‘re a newcomer to Toronto and were in close vicinity of Nathan Phillips Square around noon on Tuesday, you may have thought that you were in the Caribbean. The music onstage in the Square was unmistakably Caribbean and there were masqueraders showing off the artistry of carnival. But yes, you were still in […]
By Stephen Weir, photographs by Dan Moreland Wave after wave of young masqueraders showed off their wildly colourful costumes at the Caribbean Carnival’s Junior Parade media launch held at the Malvern Town Centre mall in Scarborough on Tuesday. “ This year we really want to bring it back to the kids and to the families,” […]
