The Caribana™ Arts Group (CAG), the original creators of the Caribana™ Festival, held an Emancipation Day March on University Avenue in Toronto. The Caribana™ Festival, deeply rooted in the celebration of emancipation, symbolizes cultural pride for the Caribbean community in Canada. However, it has been 18 years since the City of Toronto took over the festival, leaving the CAG striving to honor the festival’s origins amidst ongoing challenges.

Since the city’s takeover, the CAG has faced significant obstacles in securing funding and recognition for their efforts. Despite developing a festival that once generated over $400 million for the government, the organization has struggled to reclaim its former glory. The annual Emancipation Day March is a testament to their resilience and determination to keep the spirit of Caribana™ alive.

On February 2nd, the CAG attempted to celebrate Emancipation Day, but the turnout was low, and some ridiculed the small size of the parade. This misunderstanding arose because the main parade was scheduled for the next day at the Canadian Exhibition Place and the Lake Shore. The CAG has faced systemic challenges, including anti-Black racism, which have hindered their efforts to make a significant impact on the city that has relegated them to a secondary status.

In the past, the Caribana™ Arts Group spent an average of $30,000 annually on advertising their parade. However, 18 years after losing control of their festival, the organization has not been liberated from the struggles faced by many arts organizations in the city. This year, the CAG sent out a notice on Thursday, August 1st, for the August 2nd event, which read, “Tomorrow we’re chipping to the beat of the drum at Caribana’s 3rd Annual Emancipation March!!!” Unfortunately, this was a challenging time to attract participants, as many were busy preparing for other events leading up to the main Caribana™ festivities.

Parade-goers were instructed to meet at Bay and Albert Streets, across from Nathan Phillips Square, with a start time of 8:30 a.m. Despite the early hour, about a dozen supporters gathered, accompanied by drummers on the back of a pickup truck, five pannists, and a DJ from New York City. The event featured a small but passionate group who set up beside Bay Street on the lawn of the old city hall.

Toronto police officers on bicycles escorted the marchers on a route that took them north on University Avenue and south on Yonge Street, ending at Nathan Phillips Square. Motorists honked their horns as the parade made its way through the downtown core, briefly disrupting the morning commute.

The parade concluded around 11:30 a.m. back near Nathan Phillips Square, where the organizers thanked the marchers for their participation and extended an invitation to join again next year. The CAG remains committed to marking Emancipation Day and hopes for a larger turnout in future celebrations.