The Organization of Calypso Performing  Artistes (OCPA) of  Toronto will stage a monarch competition this year.

This was confirmed by OCPA President, Eulith Woods (Calypsonian Macomere Fifi).

In an interview this week, she told the Caribbean Camera that the event will be held on Sunday July 29. But the venue is yet to be announced.

Last  year OCPA’s annual Toronto calypso monarch  competition which was scheduled to be held on July 30. was  put  off  to “a  date to be fixed” in October. But it did not take place.

However, Woods said that the new board of directors of OCPA, appointed last October, has been having  regular meetings to get ” things  back on track.”

A  calendar of  events for 2018 has already been drawn up and the major event is the monarch competition, she pointed out.

A  general meeting of OCPA to discuss plans for the  new year  was held on the weekend.

” Only a small number of members showed up,” Woods  noted.

But she  said this was no surprise.

“It  seems as if  calypsonians in Toronto hibernate in the winter,” she chuckled.
“As the weather gets warmer, we  would expect more of them to show up at meetings.”

As  for the future of  calypso in Toronto, Woods remains optimistic.

She did note, however, that lately there have been fewer women taking part in calypso competitions staged by OCPA.

Founded in 1981, OCPA  is  a non-profit organization which was formed to promote calypso in Toronto.