“We’re excited to be back on the road,” Toronto Caribbean Carnival Council president Laverne Garcia told CP24.com.
After a two-year hiatus due to the pandemic, the parade’s 55th anniversary promises to be one of the biggest to date with more than 10,000 costumed revelers expected to take part.
For those who have never been to the parade, CP24.com has the answers you need about when and where the parade is, what it represents and what it means to “play mas.”

WHAT IS THE ORIGIN OF THE PARADE? 
The Caribbean Carnival dates back to the late 18th century in Trinidad and Tobago as a celebration that marked the end of slavery and freedom for African plantation workers.
The people took to the streets to celebrate their new freedom, imitating what they saw at masquerade balls and pre-Lenten parties thrown by their former masters.
“So while they would have had those balls, it ultimately led to rebellion and freedom and emancipation.  But they were gathering in the streets and doing their own parallel celebrations but in the streets,” Garcia said.
Fast forward to 1967 and that’s when Toronto hosted its first major parade, which would become one of North America’s largest outdoor festivals.
The parade is held each year during the weekend in August, which is also recognized as Canada’s Emancipation Day weekend.
The parade was given to Canada by the Caribbean community during the country’s centennial celebrations.
Garcia says it’s an amazing feeling to celebrate the carnival in person once again.
“After two and a half years of lockdown and people being ordered to separate and not be in the community, it’s amazing to see people come out again and be so excited to be part of the carnival,” Garcia said.
“It’s interesting to me how Toronto as a whole has really embraced Carnival.  And for a lot of people, it’s just part of what summer means to them in Toronto,” he added.

WHO IS PARTICIPATING IN THE PARADE? 
In order to march in the parade, which runs along Lake Shore Boulevard West, revelers must join the participating masquerade band.
“These bands apply to us, get approved and then get seed funding from us.  And then they go ahead and start their camp, where they usually get a commercial property for the summer…and they make their uniforms there,” Garcia said.
Bands usually start preparing for the carnival a year in advance.
“I mean it’s like little families because people spend countless hours there, making costumes, getting ready for all the revelers that are going to come,” Garcia said.
Each band has a number of sections and each section has its own theme that ties into the overall theme of the band.
The band members represent their theme through their costumes and floats.
When it’s time to join the parade, it’s also known as “playing mas.”
“When you play mas, the average partygoer, they go to the street they play, they jump, they dance to the music and they just have fun,” Garcia said.

WHAT DO THE ORGANIZATIONS REPRESENT? 
Many spectators go to the parade to see the beautiful array of costumes and floats.
When the parade first started in Trinidad and Tobago, the masquerades wore costumes that represented a political statement.
“There are certain characters that were portrayed back in the day, and they were kind of caricatures or, you know, political satire of some kind of the social environment and the sociopolitical environment at the time,” Garcia said.
“As the carnival evolved, and as time went on, it became more about the freedom of the individual and not being held back by the constraints of society… I think that’s part of the reason why there are a lot of costumes that are kind of too open and there’s a huge push to embrace yourself, your body and freedom and liberation,” she added.
Each band puts hours and hours of work into designing and making costumes for the big parade.
Tribal Carnival is the third largest group in Toronto and has over 100 costumed people.
CEO Celena Seusahai says the band’s theme this year is Kingdom, and all sections of the band will have costumes to reflect that.
“My division this year is called Emerald City…you’re going to see green and blue,” he told CP24.com.
Seusahai says the band only uses designers from Toronto and begins production of their costumes in May.
“It takes a lot of work and we put in a lot of research, hours to make sure the subject we’re portraying comes out right.  I would say the planning process, we start in December.  As soon as one carnival is over, we start planning the next one.”
Seusahai says suits can range from $350 to $1,600.

WHAT CAN VENDORS EXPECT AT THE PARADE? 
If this is your first time attending the parade, be prepared to “jump” and dance all day long.
Bands will traverse the Fairgrounds with masquerades dancing soca, ballroom and more, while waving flags representing their homelands or heritage.
Spectators are also encouraged to dance and bring their own flags to the parade.
“Whatever it is, just represent where you’re from.  And that’s part of it, because a lot of it has to do with positivity as well,” Garcia said.
“Fifty-five years ago, we didn’t have the same attitude towards multiculturalism and celebrating where we come from and our culture.”
There is also a competitive element to the parade.  The bands will compete for the band of the year title.
“So you have your costume on, you play mas, you dance in the street and then you walk across the stage and show off all your hard work.  And the judges will judge based on creativity, impact and different things, different categories.  And then a band will be crowned band of the year,” Garcia said.
The winner will get to choose when to cross the stage in next year’s grand parade.

WHEN AND WHERE IS THE PARADE? 
Opening ceremonies are scheduled to begin at 9:30 am.  on the grounds of Exhibition Place and Hotel X and the parade is expected to start at 10am.  and last until 6 p.m.
This year the parade has a different route compared to previous years.
There will be two starting points – some bands will walk the parade route first, while others will cross the main stage to be judged first.
Masquerades will walk along Lake Shore Boulevard West to the grounds of Exhibition Place.
“It’s all blocked.  It’s really just the masquerades that are in the parade.  Every year, people try to get into the parade just to be a part of it.  But you really have to be in a band to get into the parade itself,” Garcia said.
Attendees can watch the parade from Lake Shore Boulevard, or you pay an admission fee to the Exhibition Grounds to watch from there.
There will be many vendors along the lakefront selling food and drinks throughout the day.
Garcia encourages attendees to wear comfortable shoes and prepare to relax and celebrate.
“Comfortable shoes and plenty of water are essential.  And, I suppose, a freedom of spirit and a willingness to have a lot of fun.”