Caribana
toronto caribbean carnival formerly affectionately known caribana festival caribbean culture tradition held summer city toronto ontario canada pancaribbean carnival event billed north america largest festival frequented million tourist year festival grand parade overall attendance million beginning july multiweek festivity lead parade occurs simcoe day long weekend first weekend august festival also coincides august emancipation day observance commemorate emancipation slave african descent main stakeholder event toronto ma band association organization calypso performing artiste ontario steelpan association several event occur course festivity celebrating caribbean culture parade band mostwell known festivity event vary per year past included exhibit example first caribana displayed every book published caribbean writer including austin clarke centrepiece exhibition theatre play austin clarkes child scheme dealt plight caribbean woman came canada domestic immigrant worker scheme fashion show caribbean festival hold event several week culmination caribana event final weekend punctuated street parade band weekend traditionally coincides civic holiday august street parade band consists costumed dancer called ma player along live caribbean music played large speaker flatbed wheeler truck much music associated event steel pan soca calypso float also found play chutney dancehall reggae music band important part main carnival parade band display artistic theme costumemaking competition one another parade pas judging spot rate band section costume design energy masquerader creativity presentation work costume begin soon previous year celebration usually take one full year complete costume whitfield belasco led band since brother recruited trinidad carnival help organize first caribana louis saldenah actively participated caribana since awarded band year twenty time king queen band also judged winning considered claiming biggest prize festival parade route originally followed bloor yonge street ending toronto city hall concluding concert nathan phillips square parade ran along bay university avenue since parade shifted lake shore boulevard exhibition place caribana marketplace covered market added marilyn bell park along parade route barricade introduced separate spectator playing ma may festival added new initiative involve postsecondary school college participate centennial college school hospitality tourism culture created costume theme tropical amazon night grande parade king queen leader band compete stage lamport stadium named king queen carnival joella crichton awarded queen carnival nine time subject becoming queen ninety minute documentary screened caribbeantales international film festival started judged event crown calypso monarch year addition main parade caribbean community also celebrates smaller predawn parade known jouvert pronounced jouvay modelled trinidad carnival caribbean frenchcreole mean day open morning jouvert portion carnival rhythmic part carnival celebration usually featured steelpan band person using improvised musical instrument usually accompanied singing lot whistle music maker spectator person playing ma occasionally get covered headtotoe mud flour baby powder different watercolored paint tradition caribbeanbased jouvert celebration many instance everyone band supposed resemble evil spirit parading around night common character part afrocaribbean folklore include thing like red devil people covered red paint blue devil people covered blue paint green devil black devil jab jab traditionally portrayed island grenada yellow devil white devil usually people throwing baby powder flour people covered concoction supposed resemble mud oil junior carnival parade junior carnival commonly known kiddie carnival run since least provides opportunity young masquerade dance street similar grand parade junior carnival consists series band leader display costume competition junior king queen showcase introduced allow younger kid showcase jr king queen malvern town centre jr grand parade family day fêtes party leading main parade number caribbean music artist perform toronto party generally called fêtes frenchcreole caribbean word meaning festival usually start junejuly jumpups dance picnic food fest originally taking place toronto island island picnic occur ontario place picnic two day feasting rotis jerk chicken festival callaloo goat head soup potato pudding pelau fried fish cow foot rum cake drinking sorrell mauby ginger beer dancing music calypso tent show talk tent talk tent contain show featuring storyteller comedian others well versed oral tradition gala carnival ball gala debuted evening elegance celebrating carnival music art work pioneer caribana festival pan blockosblockorama steel band street party caribana run annually since first performed gift canada caribbean community tribute canada centennial billing multicultural nation canadian government invited ethnocultural group contribute celebration representation ethnic diversity caribana emerged time many caribbean resident emigrated canada following immigration reform internationally acclaimed singer popularizing caribbean music example harry belafonte sang soldout crowd okeefe centre toronto civil right movement activity including canadian visit malcolm x martin luther king jr muhammad ali fight canadian heavyweight champion george chuvalo introduced immigrant caribbean caribana showcase multiple culture tradition heritage background coming together celebrate heritage tie namely afrocaribbeana person african descent born living caribbean nation caribanas root link slavery struggle emancipation well postcolonial pancaribbean influence following carnival format particularly trinidad tobago carnival caribanas caribbean influence include tradition many island john canoe jamaica crop barbados similar festival cuba haiti dominican republic caribana also tap legacy prelenten calypso carnival celebration organized canadian negro womens organization canewa headed kay livingstone canewa produced funded hosted annual oneday celebration caribbean culture food dance music fundraiser scholarship assist black student attend recently desegregated school southern ontario centurieslong black canadian tradition emancipation day parade also influence caribana emancipation day parade began celebrate liberation enslaved throughout america largely observed around time calypso carnival founder parade largely descendant fugitive slave black american immigrant parade marked black victory british operated militarystyle event displaying military regalia marching band drum corp emancipation day parade became notable display black canadian prior caribana founding organizer goal using festival profit create black community centre remain unfulfilled plan first caribana began february group toronto’s west indian community came together abandoned firehall bathurst street formed celebration canada’s centennial group originally named caribbean centennial committee transformed caribbean committee cultural advancement ccac decided event annual celebration one year later ccac incorporated caribbean cultural committee ccc group consisted ten individual board member mostly made expatriatecaribbean national living canada one member trinidadianborn librarian rita cox charles roach julius alexander isaac first black judge federal court appeal among community leader organized first caribana ccc changed name caribbean committee cultural advancement ccca caribbean cultural committee ccc carnival development association cda organized different festival name “carnival extravaganza” carnival created response cccs caribana celebrated pancaribbean culture black canadian identity cda’s intention make carnival “authentic” reflected trinidadian culture province turned application ccc gave substantial sum cda two organizing committee came together ccc sole organizing committee caribana decade competing interest metro police city official corporate sponsor caribana threatened overshadow cccs leadership example police recommended moving popular olympic island picnic event mainland picnic continued caribana parade moved exhibition place lakeshore boulevard previously participant jumped played ma yonge street university avenue way toronto island festival became permanent annual event festival organization became dependent borrowing money city toronto prior festival repaid festival profit afterwards festival built debt city city toronto forgave entire outstanding debt event year caribana developed new partnership torontoarea hotel organization fired operating chief following puff daddy performance many observer raised concern regarding cultural retention festival organizer moralcultural responsibility launch nathan phillips square premier bob rae call event beacon hope canadian symbol racial harmony carry caribana launched support daily bread food bank attendance board chair blamed federal provincial tourism ministry funding american advertising campaign bandleader threatened boycott parade paid year’s previous festival provided necessary seedmoney fund production bandleader organized ontario ma producer association ompa toronto ma maker association tmma ompa would become toronto ma band association tmba early several organization formed represented different group involved caribana tmba oversaw making promotion ma band represented interest ontario steelpan association osa organized steelpan musician association also included ontario calypso performing artiste ocpa formed became key stakeholder caribana city toronto granted permit tmba organize parade parade king queen crowning also organized tmba following year ccc sole organizer caribana’s event september th festival consul general trinidad tobago worked caribbean cultural committee increase support business community committee received around ca million year national provincial city government cost twice run festival city toronto government unsatisfied cccs financial audit report invited tmba apply funding operate manage caribana end cityappointed committee festival management committee fmc arrangement ccc board member agreed organize caribana one year proposed structure fmc’s board director include two representative tmba one representative osa one representative cpa seven additional member chosen festival’s stakeholder including ccc caribana art group cag succeeded ccc applied denied funding resume organization caribana fmc board included two member cag however representative withdrew board due ongoing dispute ownership trademark caribana festival promoted toronto caribbean carnival caribana festival advertised scotiabank caribana festival resulted trademark lawsuit cag caribana trademarked following unsuccessful attempt reach licensing agreement successor organization ccc cag trademark holder caribana following settlement trademark infringement festival’s name changed scotiabank caribbean carnival name changed toronto caribbean carnival scotiabank discontinued sponsorship unesco canadian commission officially recognizes festival name cultural heritage property name caribana invented organizer capture notion canada caribbean bacchanal merrymaking naming dispute arose use caribana caribbean cultural committee claimed legally held trademark caribana april panel world intellectual property organization wipo ruled scotiabank sponsor caribana festival ground awarded domain name caribanacom current owner working word cooperative ontario superior court justice ruled caribana art group cag successor caribbean cultural committee ccc legal right name caribana first named festival sponsor scotiabank scotiabank caribana scotiabank toronto caribbean carnival october scotiabank announced would end sponsorship toronto caribbean carnival parade six year festival continued without naming sponsor peek became new title sponsor festival became peek toronto caribbean carnival june peek title sponsorship removed festival called toronto caribbean carnival edition event cancelled global covid pandemic consequently took place virtual format july order accommodate restriction pandemic summer festival pivoted foodie event steel pan masquerader replaced grande parade food truck festival entire event one first caribbean carnival along new york city notting hill boston held outside caribbean region economic study estimate festival contributes approximately million ontario economy year federal government largest beneficiary participation demographic million attendee indicates attendee outside greater toronto area one million individual united state approximately participant previously attended caribana carifiesta list festival canada list festival ontario list festival toronto official website caribana art group toronto caribbean carnival virtual timeline interactive collaborative history project caribanas golden anniversary archival research guide clara thomas archive special collection york university library