By Stephen Weir

The Queen of Soca, Destra, is coming to Toronto next week to perform. Don’t look for her on the Lakeshore or at any Carnival events (unless she makes a surprise appearance or two); the Trinidadian singer will be on stage, outdoors at Harbourfront on August 2nd.

The Harbourfront Centre will once again host its annual Island Soul event from Aug. 1-5 to showcase all things Caribbean. The extended long-weekend event includes epic evening performances from the queen of Soca, Destra, with DJ Power; dancehall and reggae hits with the legendary Johnny Osbourne; and a night of hilarious laughs with one of North America’s best stand-up comedians, Trixx. New to the mix is the rave-style party Paradise Soul, a day party featuring choice MCs and DJs bringing vibes and spinning tunes from afternoon into the night.

Island Soul Lineup:

Comedy Night with Trixx and Friends – Aug. 1 at 8pm, tickets starting at $30

North America’s top comedians hit the stage for an evening of hilarious stand-up with Canadian comedy legend Trixx, who brings his boundary-pushing humor and bang-on commentary on pop culture, relationships, and being Black in Canada.

Destra and DJ Power – Aug. 2 at 9:30pm, tickets starting at $10

Trinidad’s most popular Soca singer, Destra Garcia, comes to Island Soul with DJ Power for a high-energy show full of modern dancehall and audience favourites.

Empress Mash Up Rayzalution Band – Aug. 3 at 4pm, Free

Di empress dem ah mash up di place! Empress Mash Up is an all-female reggae jam session featuring four dynamic solo artists with distinct styles of reggae, dancehall, and R&B backed by a seven-piece reggae band.

Johnny Osbourne and Hardcore Band – Aug. 3 at 7pm, Free

Jamaican reggae and dancehall star Johnny Osbourne comes to Island Soul for a night of rhythm and soul.

The Clash! DJ Starting from Scratch vs The Recipee Band – Aug. 3 at 8:30pm, Free

A head-to-head mash-up of sound-crushing sets with The Recipee Band and DJ Starting from Scratch. Hosted by “Canada’s King of Comedy” Jay Martin.

Etana – Aug. 4 at 7:30pm, Free

Jamaican singer and songwriter Etana will play a setlist of her reggae fan favorites infused with R&B.

From Jamaica to Toronto with Love Jay Douglas – Aug. 4 at 9:30pm, Free

JUNO Award nominee, music producer, and band leader of The Jay Douglas All-Star Band, Jay Douglas brings his reggae rhythms to the stage.