Two years was a long time for passionate fans of Toronto Carnival to wait. But good things come to those who wait and indeed it did with the return of the Caribbean-style festival to the shores of lake Ontario, Downtown Toronto. The Parade of the Bands held on Saturday, July 30^th saw both massive participation of masqueraders and spectators giving credence to the claim of Toronto Carnival as the Largest in North America. It is reported that there were over 10,000 masqueraders and kilometers of spectators lining the long parade route along Exhibition Place and LakeShore Boulevard.

Toronto Carnival, formerly known as Caribana, was started by the Ontario West Indian community in 1967 to celebrate Emancipation Day in Canada. The festival is modeled after the Trinidad carnival with pre-carnival activities throughout the month of July leading up to the Grande Parade on the Saturday of Emancipation day Weekend. Chronologically the major events were Junior King and Queen Showcase, Junior Carnival Parade, King and Queen Showcase, and OSA Pan-Alive Showcase.

It is estimated that between 1.5 to 2 million visitors come to see the carnival; this year seems to be no exception.

From the Wednesday before the carnival, Toronto was in a party mood with many big soca artists (Machel Montano, Kes the Band, Ravi B, Grenada’s Jab Jab proponents, to name a few) performing in the many fetes and parties throughout the city; priming up patrons for the Grande Parade. And when the Day came, all the penned-up energy of the past 2 years was unabashedly released on the streets.

The beauty of Toronto Carnival is not only the spectacular costumes and graceful splendor of the masquerades wining along Exhibition place but the degree of integration of the races into the carnival at all levels. One does not need binoculars to pick out the non-West Indian jumping up among the spectators or masqueraders; they were there in abundance in the shows, enjoying the spectacle, the music, the Caribbean dishes, and beating pan in steel bands. One can hear reggae and soca being played in the nightclubs, pubs, cars, and restaurants inhabited by Whites, and Asian from India, China, Japan, and other ethnicities. The acceptance and love for West Indian culture in this cosmopolitan society is indeed a beautiful thing.

To see our full coverage of Toronto Carnival 2022 visit https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLJLwBFvC3-6Vxach3n_kJVyJJlBdnl5_A