THE TORONTO CARIBBEAN CARNIVAL CELEBRATES THE 55THEMERALD ANNIVERSARY OF THE PARADE WITH AN EXCITING LINEUP OF EVENTS
(TORONTO, ON – April 20TH, 2022) After two years, it’s time to reconnect, celebrate, and embrace diversity with the Toronto Caribbean Carnival’s (TCC) return. Celebrating the 55th Emerald Anniversary of the Parade, the Toronto Caribbean Carnival introduces a brand-new theme for the 2022 festival season - EMBRACE THE CARNIVAL IN YOU.
The Toronto Caribbean Carnival invites everyone to come and experience the joy and freedom that permeates each of the Festival Events. The ethos is built on celebrating Caribbean culture through carnival arts, music, costume, dance, and cuisine. The Grand Parade is returning to Exhibition Place on July 30, 2022, with Mas Bands, Steel Pan Players, Calypsonians, and Traditional Mas artists.
An exciting lineup of band launches showcasing the new costumes for 2022 takes place across the Greater Toronto Area (GTA) from April until May. Festival-goers will have the opportunity to play mas in the Toronto Caribbean Carnival with the following bands: Atlantic Mas, Costume Creations Cultural Arts, Carnival Nationz, EPIC Carnival, Fantazia Carnival, Freedom Mas, Saldenah Carnival, Sunlime, SugaCayne, Toronto Revellers, Tribal Carnival, and Venom.
Described as a living art form, the Toronto Caribbean Carnival showcases colorful, striking costumes and Caribbean art to reflect the past and present. The steel pan players liven up the streets with the melodies from the only instrument created in the 20th century, including Mas Bands, steel pan players, calypso artists, stick fighting, and stilt walkers.
The Toronto Caribbean Carnival celebrates freedom, diversity, and inclusion. A tradition in which recently emancipated ex-slaves organized themselves in bands and portrayed masquerade characters. Every year, the Toronto Caribbean Carnival takes place on Emancipation Day weekend, which commemorates the abolition of slavery in the British Empire in 1834.
As one of the largest festivals in Canada, the Toronto Caribbean Carnival brings in thousands of people worldwide, taking place over four glorious weeks for an all-out spectacle of visual and performing arts. Participants are encouraged to "free up" and enjoy themselves!
The Festival Management Committee, producers of the Toronto Caribbean Carnival, have curated an exciting program of events leading up to the Grand Parade:
- Toronto Caribbean Carnival Official Launch - July 7, 2022
- Junior King and Queen and Junior Steelpan Showcase - July 10, 2022
- Junior Carnival - July 16, 2022
- OCPA Calypso Showcase - July 24, 2022
- King & Queen Showcase - July 28, 2022
- OSA Pan Alive - July 29, 2022
- Grand Parade - July 30, 2022
- Carnival Flavours - July 31, 2022
- Awards Gala - September 17, 2022
For more information on the 2022 calendar of events or participating with a Mas Band, please visit https://torontocarnival.ca/.
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Toronto Caribbean Carnival
The Toronto Caribbean Carnival is recognized as a significant international cultural festival, the largest of its kind in North America. The Grade Parade was first established in 1967 as part of Canada's 100th Anniversary celebrations by Caribbean immigrants as a cultural gift to Canada. Produced by the Festival Management Committee, the Toronto Caribbean Carnival is “On de Road Again” this year to celebrate the Parade’s 55th anniversary, showcasing the best in Caribbean Arts.
