Caribana 2010 – Spectacular!
Posted on 08. Aug, 2010 by admin in Arts and Culture
Folks,
Let me first say this…if you did not attend Caribana in Toronto last weekend, then you missed one heck of a carnival. It was simply SPECTACULAR!
With over 1.5 million, (yes, million) people in attendance, it truly did live up to its hype of being North America’s largest carnival.
From the moment the IVM crew hit Toronto on Friday evening we felt the Caribbean vibrations in the air. We quickly checked into our hotel, showered and hit the road to take it all in. Let me take a moment here to give props to Sunrise Caribbean Restaurant for keeping us good and fed the whole weekend.
First stop…Glow. Simply put…meh. We were not impressed with the crowd or the fact that the line looked as though we’d have to stand outside for over an hour. But this being Friday night before the carnival jump up, far from being discouraged, we were amped to be moving on to see what was really good in TO.
As we headed on to the next fete, our travels took us to Yonge Street in the heart of downtown Toronto. Friends, from there, it was a wrap! That place was JUMPIN’! We found the action, people and vibe that we were looking for and we soaked it all in. We mixed and mingled with people from all over the Caribbean and North America and were in awe at just how great it can be when we all come together to celebrate our heritage. Since this was our first trip to TO we had no idea that Yonge Street was an historic site so we were surprised and delighted that we had more or less stumbled on to it.
With the sites and sounds of Yonge Street behind us, Saturday morning brought us the most glorious weather possible. Temperature in the high 70s and nary a cloud in the sky. Parade day!
We headed to Exhibition Place, to the 2010 Scotiabank Caribana Parade. The competing Masquerade Bands filled the stadium with Soca, Calypso and Steeplan music. The elaborate costumes, props and lively dancers brought everything to life and added to the incredible experience.
The costumes were magnificent! We stationed ourselves directly in front of the judging station and so we saw the bands and performers at their best.
Saldenah Mas-K was the 2010 Caribana Band of the Year. Their costumes left no doubt in anyone’s mind that they would wrap up the top spot. They are the all-time most winning band, this year making 16 for the record holder.
Mas Players International and new comer Tru Dynasty took top honors in the B&C Categories. Further results were:
Category Band of the Year:
1. Saldenah Mas K (446 points)
2. Carnival Nationz (426)
3. Toronto Revellers (422)
B&C Category Band of the Year:
1. (tie) Mas Players Int’l (378 points)
1. (tie) Tru Dynasty (378)
3. Fantazia International (371)
Every year The Caribana Parade gets bigger and better. Some of the higher profile mas bands in the 2010 Toronto Caribana Parade included Mark Deleon’s Mas Toronto with the theme “Out of Man…One Toronto”, Jamaal Magloire’s Toronto Revellers with the theme “Disco Fever…Ain’t no stopping us now” and Marlon Singh’s Callaloo with the theme “Halloween”.
After the 14th and final band made their stadium exit, the IVM crew headed out to the parade route. We’re no novices to the Carnival experience but we were none the less stunned at the sheer enormity of the crowd. 1.5 million people is nothing to sneeze about for sure. And try getting through them to actually walk the parade route…that too was no easy task. The Parade route begins at Exhibition Place, traveling down Lakeshore Blvd West and ends at Lakeshore and Parkside Drive (approximately 4.5 kilometres).
Saturday night brought in our opinion, the premier event of Caribana. Machel Montano and the HD family performing at Wild Water Kingdom. Again, the line to get into the park was long in the most retarded way. But we had our tickets and crazy determination so we stood firm. And of course, we were well rewarded. Machel did not disappoint. He never does. The man is a consummate performer. You always get your money’s worth. If you’ve ever seen him (and really who hasn’t) then you know there’s no need to expound on the fact that the show was simply great.
As tired as we were, we dragged ourselves out of bed on Sunday afternoon and headed to De Scotiabank Caribana Lime 2010 at Ontario Place (CNE).
As soon as we got there on the banks of Lake Ontario, we fell in love with the venue. You’d be surprised how much the venue can make or break an event. De Caribana Lime 2010 featured live performances, delicious Caribbean food, culture and dancing. As we walked in we were serenaded by some sweet sweet pan music. And again, the weather was great and the vibes were just right. It was a family event and very well attended. The kids had lots to do, the adults had lots to enjoy and all in all it was a great way to cap off a most spectacular Toronto Caribana Festival!
About Scotiabank Caribana
The Scotiabank Caribana Festival is an exciting two-week cultural explosion of Caribbean music, cuisine, revelry as well as visual and performing arts. Now in its 42nd year, it has become a major international event and the largest cultural festival of its kind in North America. As Caribana is an international cultural phenomenon, the great metropolis of Toronto and its environs will come alive as the city explodes with the pulsating rhythms and melodies of Calypso, Soca, Reggae, Chutney and Steel Pan music. The Festival Management Committee oversees the running of North America’s largest outdoor festival.
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