The parade is celebrating its 55th anniversary after the pandemic forced cancellations in both 2020 and 2021. According to the event’s website, “the Caribbean tradition of street marching was founded in celebration of freedom and emancipation from slavery.” It’s part of a weekend of festivities celebrating Pan-Caribbean culture, culminating in today’s parade, which is expected to draw hundreds of thousands of spectators. “I feel excited, I feel excited,” said Chancois Christopher, one of the attendees. He said he had waited a long time for the event and was looking forward to making use of his culture. “We haven’t been able to do it for so long,” he said. Chancois Christopher says he has waited a long time for the event and is looking forward to putting his culture to good use. (Michael Charles Cole/Radio-Canada) Throughout the weekend, fans also saw the King and Queen Showcase and the Pan Alive Steelpan Competition at Lamport Stadium, as well as over a hundred official and unofficial events in the Caribbean “This is freedom, fun, family. This is our foundation,” said Kateri De Souza, a section leader from the Toronto Revellers, one of the marching bands. “I feel unreal. I have chills” Thousands lined the parade route, including Toronto Mayor John Tory and federal NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh. “Carnival has a really special place in the hearts of many Canadians and Torontonians,” said Singh, who said he was excited to “bounce,” a form of dance that takes place at Carnival. “We are better when we come together,” Singh said. “Carnival has a really special place in the hearts of many Canadians and Torontonians,” said federal NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh, who was in attendance at the Grande Parade. (Michael Charles Cole/Radio-Canada) Event organizers say they expect more than 10,000 masquerades to walk and dance their way along the 3km stretch. It ends at Exhibition Place, where participants have the opportunity to dance on a large stage set up at the end of the parade route. Tiffany James, who is from Trinidad, has always wanted to take part in the parade. “Carnival is a big part of culture,” he said. James and her friend Elizabeth Jones woke up at 5am to get their costumes ready. Jones said she expects the event to be “pretty wild” after two years of pandemic closures. Both Jones and James are also part of the Toronto Revellers. Elizabeth Jones, left, and Tiffany James, right, are part of the Toronto Revellers, one of the bands participating in the parade. (Michael Charles Cole/Radio-Canada) The parade will continue until 8pm on Saturday. The festival continues throughout the weekend and concludes on August 1, a date known to many as Emancipation Day. It is celebrated in many Caribbean nations as the day on which slavery was abolished in 1834 throughout the British Commonwealth, including Canada.