By Stephen Weir

Photographs by Don Moreland

held in Scarborough.

A trio of mas’ camps  -Sunlime Mas’, Louis Saldenah’s Mas-K-Camp and Tribal Carnival – held free launches .

 On Saturday, Sunlime Mas’ held just what its name suggests.  In brilliant sunshine, the band launch was taken outdoors onto a large wooden stage that had been built behind their St. Clair Avenue East headquarters (Kennedy/Midland).  Parents and friends sat in lawn chairs and “limed” while the children munched on hot dogs and other treats, waiting excitedly for the show to

start.

Then over a dozen young children – both female and male – came onstage in  modest “kid friendly” costumes  in keeping with the theme of “Reign” – the same theme  that the adult band will be portraying   at the grand parade  in  Toronto on August 4.

After the show, the children, many who had come to the afternoon event in last year’s costumes, paraded around the parking lot of the mas’ camp.

On Sunday, there were two afternoon band launches, both also in Scarborough.

The bigger party was at the Nugget Event Hall at McCowan and Nugget in Scarborough where Louis Saldenah’s Mas K Camp held its launch.

The show – modelled by 60 kids from eight sections – started at 2.15 p.m.

“It was an amazing day,” said Mas-K-Camp’s Hayden Harbin. “ We must have had 600 adults and kids in the hall over the course of the afternoon.  There were free hot dogs and hamburgers, drinks and candy floss.”

“We made it a real introduction to Carnival. Wonena Harmony was our MC and the kids just loved her. We also had Tamila Matthews’ dance troupe and a pannist performing.”

Based on the registrations received on Sunday, Mas K Camp expects that it will have 800 children in costume in the  junior carnival.

Tribal Carnival held the last launch of the day beginning at 4 p.m., an hour after the end of the Mas-K-Camp party.  For parents, there time enough to take their kids to both events.

“Yes! Yes people! Tribal Carnival Kiddies Band Launch was held on Sunday at our camp at 3401 McNicoll Avenue in Scarborough,” wrote Dexter Seusahai. “Good to “see everyone come out and support the launch.

The costumes were designed by Dexter and Celena Seusahai.

To date, five mas’ camps have held costume launches for the children.  There will be six more weekend parties

before the Junior Carnival Parade and Family Day which will take place at Malvern (26 Sewells Rd.) and Neilson Park (7600 Sheppard Ave. E.)  in Scarborough on July 21.