By Lincoln DePradine Learning about culture, history, pride through costume making The Caribana Arts Group (CAG) and Tropicana Community Services (TCS) have completed the second year of a project that is producing future generations of wire-benders and other creative talents to sustain the carnival culture, which originated in the Caribbean among enslaved Africans. Officials at […]
By Stephen Weir Going to Parade on Saturday and want to see something different? Check the feet on some of the Carnival Nationz crew who have traded in traditional mas costume shoes for comfy runners. Adidas Canada has teamed up the Carnival Nationz band to introduce runners onto da road. The popular shoe company is […]
12 Days of Caribbean-Inspired Fun Unveiled East of Toronto Carnival City, presented by House of Culture, will be welcoming visitors to Durham Region at Ajax Downs, 320 Audley Road (across from Casino Ajax) from Wednesday July 27th to Sunday August 7th, 2022. Look no further than Ajax for a spectacular merger of culture and […]
By Stephen Weir The Prime Minister of Canada has gotten a lot of ribbing from his critics for his new hairdo (some say it looks like Jim Carrey’s hairdo in Dumb and Dumber), but that did not faze the thousands of children who took part in Saturday’s Junior Parade. When CBC announcer and MC for […]
Photos and article By Rebecca Kerr The sun was blazing hot, the loud, pulsating, infectious sounds of Soca music echoed thru the streets in Malvern as thousands of junior masqueraders, their parents, relatives and friends chipped, danced, jumped and waved for the return of kiddies’ carnival 2022. Thousands lined the street to welcome back The […]
Pan Masters is ready to awaken you from that two-year slumber with a big jam in its 2009 Brimley and Sheppard, Scarborough pan yard this Saturday 23rd July. The veteran band, now it its third decade of steeelband excellence, is preparing for the annual Pan Alive showcase. Come and get a sneak preview of the […]
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau made a surprise visit to the Caribbean children’s carnival in Scarborough on Saturday. As masqueraders got together in Malvern for the 45th anniversary of children’s participation in the Toronto Caribbean carnival, the unexpected visitor from Ottawa along with several of his MPs and Ontario MPPs were welcomed to the event. The […]
By Stephen Weir The problem with Carnival time in Toronto is deciding what events to take in over the Caribana long weekend. If watching the Grand Parade is not your thing, you might consider taking in some Caribbean events – most of them free – happening at Harbourfront’s Island Soul July 30 –August. “Huge Fete, […]
Pre-OCPA Calypso in Toronto: A Personal Memoir By Lennox Borel Here is an axiom that Pythagoras and his mathematical colleagues could never have conceived: “Wherever there are people of Trinidad and Tobago in the Diaspora, there will always be Calypso.” The History of Calypso in Toronto did not begin with the birth of OCPA in […]
by Rebecca Kerr When you first meet her, she is warm, welcoming and smiling. But underneath that veneer is a fierce dynamic, extremely tenacious creative mas’ designer. Deborah Chang Kit Minott has been a successful winning designer with one of the top mas’ bands in the city Carnival Nationz’s Junior Kiddies band Lil Nationz. She […]
