Martin Luther King had a dream! Forty years ago, so did the creators of Caribana - to showcase Carribean Canadian culture in Canada! The result was Caribana which they based on the huge and exciting Trinidad & Tobago Carnival. The founders of Caribana environed Caribana as a gift of culture. Caribana Festival is a cultural explosion of Caribbean music, ( Calypso, Soca, Reggae, Hip Hop, Chutney, Steel Pan and Brass Bands ) Caribbean cuisine, revelry as well as visual and performing arts. According to Caribana, it is the largest Carnival in North America! Caribana is now run by Festival Management Committee, a group of business people and City of Toronto officials. It is aimed at not only continuing this gift of culture but also at fiscal stability for all participants in Caribana and for the benefit of the City of Toronto, the Province of Ontario, and the Government of Canada and the corporate sponsors.

The 40th Annual Caribana Festival was held in Toronto from July 10 to August 5, 2007. The main events of the festival were:

• July 10, 2007: Official Launch @ Nathan Phillips Square
• July 24 to August 12, 2007: COLOURBlind International Art Exhibition at Blue Dot Gallery
• August 1 to 5, 2007: Caribana Village at Ontario Place ( see Sources & Links )
• August 2, 2007: King & Queen Xtavaganza
• August 4, 2007: Parade of Bands
• August 4, 2007: Machel Montano ( See Past Events - T & T ) After Party Bash
• August 5, 2007: Sean Paul, Ne-Yo & Destra Caribana Imagine Concert

The jewel of the festival is the Caribana parade - imagine pulsating rhythms of Calypso, Soca and Steel Bands dancing along Lakeshore Blvd., with thousands of brilliantly costumed Mas Bands spirited together and an estimated one million people watching. Also part of Caribana are the many feets or parties at night clubs which usually start late around 11:30 and go until sunrise. This year instead of the Arts and Culture Days at the Olympic Island of the City of Toronto, the FMC co-produced two concerts with Carribean stars Machel Montano ( See Past Events - T & T ) After Party Bash on August 4, 2007 and on August 5, 2007 Sean Paul, Ne-Yo & Destra Caribana Imagine Concert at Ontario Place!! TorontoArtsandEvents attended the Sean Paul event which rocked!!

Based upon the success of the 40th annual Caribana 2007, its creators' dream has come true - this festival puts Canadian Carribean culture in the spotlight!! - check back to Toronto Arts and Events for Next Year's Caribana!!