Toronto Caribbean Festival returns after two-year absence with a sizzling display of artistic pageantry and brilliance

BY PAUL JUNOR

The return of the Grande Parade of the Toronto Caribbean Festival was a sizzling display of pageantry.

Toronto was ready for this 55^th-year celebration after a two-year hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Kevin Carrington emceed the opening ceremony on Saturday, July 31^st, 2022, on the grand stage at Exhibition Place.

Laverne Garcia, Chair of the Festival Management Festival (FMC) welcomed the visitors and thanked the federal government for contributing $1 million, the provincial government for $600 000, and the city of Toronto. She states, “It is a celebration of freedom.”

Honourable Ahmed Hussein, Minister of Housing and Diversity and Inclusion states, “This festival started as a gift, a special donation from the Caribbean community to Canada, and what a gift it has become since 1967, a gift that keeps on giving.”

Jagmeet Singh, Leader of the federal NDP described how he was exposed to the Caribbean festival as an 18-year-old university student, and how he has become hooked. He noted the importance of the expression of solidarity seen in the festival as a symbol of the togetherness of diverse peoples.

John Tory, Mayor of Toronto, welcomed the return of the festival and acknowledged the importance of remembering the roots of the festival. Michael Thompson, Deputy Mayor of Toronto traced the historical beginnings of carnival to 1797 and how it coincides with the emancipation of slaves in 1834. He noted that the festival brings $500 million to the coffers of the City of Toronto.

Mitzie Hunter, MPP of Scarborough-Guildwood states that since being elected nine years ago, she has been attending regularly. She states, “Being at the Toronto Caribbean Festival is an important time of celebration for Toronto, for the Black community, as it represents all that is strong and beautiful and free. It is a gift to Canada from the Black community. Carnival is about celebrating the freedom of Black people to walk the street.”

Also, in attendance was: Patrick Brown, Mayor of Brampton, Christine Williams, MPP of Brampton South, Michael Couteau, MP of Don Valley East, MP Mark Francois, Jean Augustine and Rita Cox. Eleven bands, many with scantily bedecked masqueraders paraded in front of the judges. Results released by the FMC revealed the top four bands were:

1. Saldenah Carnival- led by Louis Saldenah with the theme, “Streets on Fire”
2. Toronto Revellers – led by Jamal Magloire with the theme, “Bon Voyage”
3. Tribal Carnival – led by Celena Seusahai with the theme “ Kingdom”
4. Carnival Nationz -led by Bryce Aguiton and Marcus Eustace with the theme,

“Queens and Goddesses”

There have been many discussions about the operations of the Grande Parade. There were two assembly areas where the bands started from. Some bands crossed the stage after first departing from the CNE grounds while other bands started on Lakeshore Road after departing from the Dufferin side, and traveling to the stage after the first set of the bands.

There were some challenges such as the slow progression of the bands, unnecessary stoppages and transitions from band to band. The fact that small bands crossed the stage earlier did not avert long gaps and stoppage between them. The bigger bands still took a long time to cross. Furthermore, the six-foot wire fencing that separates the crowd and the mass bands and along Lakeshore Road did not prevent storming.

I spoke to King Cosmos, who wrote the song, “55 Alive” about it. He has studied storming extensively. He believes this issue is reflective of deeper issues that the FMC needs to deal with.