Editorial

Once the sun begins to brighten and warm the days of Spring , and the artist and the people’s sense of “culture” are awakened from winter’s slumber, we know that the season of street festivals is upon us.
On almost any summer day, you’re likely to run into some kind of fete taking over some public space in some part of cosmopolitan Toronto: Luminato Festival, Toronto Jazz Festival, Beaches International Jazz Festival, Salsa in Toronto Festival, Taste of Little Italy, Pride Week, Portugal Fest, Taste of the Danforth, Toronto Caribbean Carnival; all of them put the people in a celebratory mood; all of them boost the local economy though art, beauty and gastronomy, fueled by the generous wallets of a game population.
On the Caribbean side of the cultural ledger, we rightly boast that “our” Toronto Caribbean Carnival (formerly know as Caribana) is the granddaddy of the street parties where over 2 million people (tourists and locals combined) come out for a good time while stirring the city’s economic pot.

When we say “a good time”, we mean an extended period that starts bubbling as soon as Spring spreads its light, and when the mas camps open. More a workshop, much like Santa’s version, the mas camps (12 at last count) have rented acres of warehouse space around the GTA. They are building costumes for thousands of masqueraders with fabric and baubles sourced from around the world. It’s a hive of activity – designers, wire benders, tailors, music, and fresh food cooked on sight to feed the volunteers. Everywhere there’s colour and something interesting to see.
The good news for Scarborough residents is that most of the camps are located in their city, three of them on Consumers Road west of Victoria Park. You may also visit a mas camp in Mississauga, Brampton or North York. (Go to https://www.torontocarnival.ca/participate for more information).
But the mas camp is but one of the three legs on which Carnival stands; the other two are steelband and calypso. The bands have already returned to the panyards and are practising their musical arrangements for the Pan Alive steelpan competition.
As the days get warmer, the bands will move outdoors producing a sound that travels around the neighbourhoods, calling the people to the source. It’s a pleasing sound. On a lazy summer day, you could spend a few pleasant hours visiting a pan yard to hear this most singular music that this Caribbean instrument produces. In the panyard, the curious almost always learn something new.
Meanwhile, the calypsonians are writing their original compositions which will be tested at three calypso tents (concerts) on July 6, 7 and 14. At that final tent, the judges will name singers who will contest the Kaiso 365 Calypso Monarch Final on July 28th.
The tents at their best could be lots of fun, great music, a barrel of laughs, and the building of expectations as the finalists look to become the 2024 Calypso Monarch.
The calypsonians are kicking off their season with a fund-raising brunch this Sunday, May 19, 12 noon – 3 pm, at Spade Bar & Lounge, 3580 McNicoll Avenue.
All this activity culminates on the Simcoe Day long weekend. On Thursday August 1st is the famous King and Queen show, which sees the best large costumes compete for the titles. This is followed by the Pan Alive steelband competition on August 2nd, Friday evening. On Saturday, August 3rd, all roads lead to the grand parade on the Lakeshore.
The Festival Management Committee, which oversees the Festival, will stage the King and Queen Show and the Pan Alive competition at the CNE grounds through which the Grand Parade wends its way.
We trust that the move to consolidate the events will streamline the operations of the Festival for a better experience for the patrons. It is our fervent wish that the Festival Management Committee gets adequate financial support from the various levels of government to make this Carnival the best that it could be. After all, the annual grants, grudgingly given, are magically transformed by the energy and creativity of the Caribbean community into a half a billion-dollar windfall for the city resulting in windfall profits for businesses big and small.
What could be better than a well-funded super Toronto Caribbean Carnival, where the people experience a controlled and welcome blowout while cash registers ring merrily across the city.
Time to do some serious jammin’.