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Caribana 2008

Martin Luther King had a dream! Forty-one 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. ( see past events ) The founders of Caribana envisioned Caribana as a gift of culture. Caribana 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 the 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 41st Annual Caribana Festival was held in Toronto from July 15 to August 4, 2008. The main events of the festival were:

  • July 15, 2008: Official Launch @ Nathan Phillips Square
  • July 24 to August 4, 2008: Roots to Rhythm- COLOURBlind International Art Exhibition at ROM
  • July 25, 2008 Caribana Gala
  • August 1, 2008: Pan Alive
  • July 31, 2008: King & Queen Xtavaganza
  • August 2, 2008: Parade of Bands
  • August 3, 2008: De Caribana Island Lime @ Centre Island

The Caribana Gala was held on July 25, 2008 at the Liberty Grand on the C.N.E. Grounds in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It honoured the inaugural Board of Directors of Caribana from 1966-1967. The evening consisted of a receiption on the courtyard with Hors D'Oeuvres and drinks. The dinner menu was a beautiful Boston Bib and Lola Sala with the entree of curried braised short rib and jerk marinated chicken. The desert was a pineapple and coconut tar. The entertainment was Macomere Fifi, Bryan Thornhill a.k.a. Structure, Ngoma, and comedian Jean Paul. It was a great evening and as well as honouring the Founders of Caribana, two scholarships will be made to students and the Caribana Arts Foundation will be formed. Check back next year for this great event!

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.

Based upon the success of the 41st annual Caribana 2008, 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!!