Caribana, the popular Toronto Caribbean festival attracts millions of tourists yearly. Its beauty lies in the variety of people that come together to celebrate this special August festival. People who flock into Canada from the United States and other countries for the festival, do so cause of the rich display of musical talent, food and traditional costumes. The festival attracts people of all ages from different parts of the world. The experience is generally great, visitors wish it can go on and on. During the Caribana festival viewers can actually become a part of the parade if they want. You can be lucky enough to be granted a pass inside to join in on the chanting and parading. Different kinds of foods can be found during the events that would definitely catch your eyes and of course, your taste buds.
Going with your family for the Caribana festival can be so much fun too. There are program’s for kids, some nice events for all members of the family as well as concerts all week round. There are buses available to take you to wherever the program is happening on the parade ground. Every morning, around 10 am, the concerts kick off. To get into the parade, it is advisable to arrive early. However, most people prefer to arrive the venue at noon. If dancing is what gets you so excited, you’ll definitely love it at the Caribbean festival. There will be people in different costumes in large trucks moving slowly, dancing to the music being played. The music genres available also vary to accommodate everyone’s preference, there’s reggae and soca to mention a few. Everyone is usually so free, dancing as they like. Men would usually just walk up to a dancing lady and start dance along with her, same with women. It will be very difficult to not find someone who is ready to dance with you at the Caribana.
Mas bands in the Caribbean festival include the Toronto revellers, Saldenah, Tribal knights and Carnival nationz. Every year the mas bands come up with themes that are portrayed by their costumes. You can register for mas bands at the band launch , costumes are usually available for you to order and pay for. The Caribbean festival often has government officials trying to ensure that everything is going on fine and no violence occurs. Tourists however should stay clear of any areas on the festival ground that they have perceived any form of violence.
Finally, if you’re someone who likes to be alone and not actively interact with other people, Caribana festival might not be the beat place for you. One thing that this festival certainly does is bringing people from all cultures and works of life together to have a great time and inspire one another. If you’re planning a summer vacation, you might want to consider visiting Canada in time for the Caribbean festival.
