Toronto Caribbean Carnival (Caribana)
WHY IT'S HERE
Founded in 1967 as Canada's centennial gift from the Caribbean community, the largest Caribbean festival in North America, draws over a million visitors and a global Black diaspora audience.
The Toronto Caribbean Carnival, widely known as Caribana, was founded in 1967 as a gift from Toronto's Caribbean community marking Canada's centennial. The festival has grown into the largest Caribbean cultural festival in North America and one of the largest cultural festivals on the continent overall, drawing over a million visitors each summer. Programming spans three weeks and includes the iconic Grand Parade along Lake Shore Boulevard, the King and Queen Showcase, calypso and soca music competitions, a Caribbean food and arts market, and dozens of fete events. Caribana represents the cultural and economic heartbeat of the Black diaspora community in Canada and a major destination for diaspora travel from the United States and the Caribbean.
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