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Caribana brings the summer spirit to Toronto – Metro US

Caribana brings the summer spirit to Toronto

Brimming with energy and colour, the Scotiabank Caribana Parade returns to Toronto with a spirit as triumphant as ever.

The colourful celebration of Caribbean culture — featuring pageantry, music and dancing — takes over Lakeshore Blvd. and Exhibition Place this Saturday. Expect plenty of flashy colours, feathers and buff bodies as almost 10,000 participants and more than one million onlookers take to the street to get in the spirit of summer.

Parade co-chair Denise Herrera Jackson says the event is all about bringing people of all ages together to celebrate aspects of Caribbean culture.

“It’s a tradition that’s about getting together and seeing people just having a good time. I like the fact that we have a festival that is very unique and allows any age group to participate. We have an event that is beautiful and which educates, entertains and engages,” she added.

The official after-party — Temperature De Festival — follows the parade immediately at Lamport Stadium, starting at 6:30 p.m., and features back-to-back performances by a slew of Caribbean artists.

This year, look for the unveiling of a new dance, the Palance, made popular by Trinidad & Tobago’s JW & Blaze, who will also perform at the festival. So get your costumes ready!