In 1967, Toronto experienced its first Caribana festival− a Caribbean inspired carnival event. Often referred to as the largest cultural festival in North America, Caribana has continued as an annual event that consists of a range of activities. These include calypso music competitions, costume displays, steel pan music and the finale− a colourful street parade with participants displaying themed and elaborately decorated costumes, accompanied by music and dancing. The festival, like others throughout the world that have sprung up where Caribbean communities have settled outside of the region, is an expression of both the diverse cultural heritage of the Caribbean as well as the community’s desire to celebrate and reinvent itself in the diaspora.

While Caribana is most popularly associated with the intricate costumes adorned with feathers, beads and glitter, many traditional Caribbean carnivals are at their core expressions of the communities’ attempts to creatively comment on social, political, economic and cultural conditions of Caribbean life through music, art and movement.  Calypso music, for example has a long tradition of challenging social injustice, offering a platform for individuals to address significant social problems.  By extension, Caribana as it has evolved here in Toronto, offers an opportunity for those who identify as members of the Caribbean community, along with those who don’t, to connect, to celebrate and to comment on the evolving contexts of their day to day lives.

This year marks Caribana’s 45^th anniversary and on Saturday, August 4^th, Nellies will be on hand to enjoy the Caribana parade. While we may not be ‘playing mas’ (the term used to describe participants masquerading in costume), we will be supporting the festivities, enjoying the spectacular show and celebrating the diversity that the festival represents.