CariVaughan @ North Thornhill Community Centre, Thornhill, ON - Sun Aug 14th!

CariVaughan - 2011 Grand Opening
Sunday, August 14, 2011
North Thornhill Community Centre
300 Pleasant Ridge Ave., Thornhill
Starts at 10 a.m.

CariVaughan brings you the tastes, sounds and culture of the Caribbean to the City of Vaughan.

Join us on Sunday, August 14, 2011, at the North Thornhill Community Centre as we officially celebrate CariVaughan. Come dressed in your casual tropical wear and be prepared to walk around and see various vendors, enjoy outdoor performances and let the music take you away.

Enjoy a sumptuous Caribbean meal, sip tropical drinks, enjoy performances from reggae, soca and calypso artists, and dynamic performances that will bring the culture of the tropics to the City of Vaughan. Come prepared to enjoy the festival atmosphere with an eclectic mix of sights, sounds and tastes.

Proceeds of CariVaughan events will benefit children and adults living with sickle cell disease.

For more information about this and other CariVaughan events, visit www.carivaughan.com or email vaca@rogers.com or call 647-367-7880.

Hamilton Mardi Gras @ Bayfront Park, Hamilton, ON - Fri Aug 5th & Sat Aug 6th

The Hamilton Mardi Gras is celebrating it’s 10th anniversary this year with the opening and first ever cultural youth explosion concert on Friday August 5th at Bayfront Park and Saturday August 6th a parade of cultural explosion along Bay St. ending with a festival of music, food, art and dance at beautiful Bayfront Park.

“Our Mardi Gras is one of the most exciting events in Hamilton and we have a memorable show this year that is sure to attract thousands of tourists to this great city”, says Bernadette Ling, President & Executive Director.

This year our festival has added a new component, the Youth Explosion where we will be featuring a star studded line up: R & B solo artist Omarion, former boy band B2K lead singer turned solo artist and actor, R & B diva - Kim Davis, reggae artist - Lindo P, soca artist - Problem Child, hip hop sensation - A-Game, Ms. Paige, Crown ‘A Thornz and more.

Saturday August 6th begins with the carnival parade much like street theatre with revellers making their way from City Hall along Bay Street, ending at the beautiful Bayfront Park where the festival continues with foods from around the world, art and
craft exhibits along with live entertainment that will get you moving to the beat.

The Saturday line up is another day of star studded entertainment with the incredible soca bands, Roy Cape & the Kaiso All Stars and 3Veni both hailing from Trinidad and Tobago. Hamilton’s reggae band, Riddim Riders, Rita Jones, Nnika Francis, Taaan – Indian fusion band and others will complete the line up.

For more information contact:
Bernadette Ling, President 289 260 8751 (cell), 289 396 8399 (office), email: bling@hamiltonmardigras.com or Byron Alexander, Entertainment Coordinator;
416 617-0336 or 347 820-9018 or byron@hamiltonmardigras.com
http://hamiltonmardigras.com/index.html

Carnival in Brampton @ Wild Water Kingdom, Brampton, ON - Sat Aug 6th!

West Fete Proudly Presents
Carnival in Brampton 2011
Parade, live music and authentic cuisine

@ Wild Water Kingdom, 7855 Finch Ave. W. Brampton

Saturday, August 6, 2011 at 12 noon to 7:00 p.m.
Live music and authentic Caribbean cuisine inside Wild Water Kingdom Concert Area.

Celebrate Caribbean heritage, West Indian culture and Brampton's Multicultural Community

COST:
Parade – FREE
Adult All Access Pass-$25.00
Adult West Fete Admission-$10.00

Child / Senior All Access Pass -$20.00
Child / Senior West Fete Admission-$8.00

Info: 905-497-9378
www.westfete.com

Caribbean Week Rum and Rhythm Festival @ Andrew Richard Designs, Toronto, ON - Fri Oct 29th!

Rum and Rhythm - A Celebration of Caribbean Culture, combines everything that is culturally unique and appealing about the Caribbean. Caribbean Chefs, Entertainers, Rum Aficionados and Industry Professionals will be on hand to educate and entertain guests. This unique event takes place on Friday, October 29, 2010 and runs from 6:00 PM - 9:30 PM.

Musical entertainment will be performed from several genres. Guests will sample award-winning Caribbean rums and enjoy traditional Caribbean cuisine and rum-infused delicacies prepared by Celebrity Chefs from the Dutch, English, French and Spanish Caribbean.

The event will benefit the Caribbean Tourism Organization's educational charity - the CTO Foundation.

Guests 19 years of age and older are invited to come and sample the libations, enjoy the rhythms, savor the delectable cuisine, then purchase a vacation and take a trip to the Caribbean to experience more!

Tickets: $65

For more info visit: http://www.caribbeanweek.ca

Carib Fest at Centennial Park, Barrie, ON - Fri Aug 13th - Sun Aug 15th!

Costume Parade. Aug 14, 2010 starting at 1pm

SATURDAY MAIN STAGE (1pm-10pm)
Big Performers include:
* The Mighty Sparrow
...* Bunji Garlin & Asylum Band
* Fay-Ann Lyons & Asylum Band
* Crazy
* Levitasyon

Advance Saturday Tickets
Adult $15, Senior $10, Child $5, Family pass(2 adults, 2 children) $40

SUNDAY MAIN STAGE (1pm-7pm)
Big Performers include:
* Beres Hammond
* Culture ft. Kenyatta
* Inner Circle
* DJ Inferno
* Colourquest
* Lenya Wilks

Advance Sunday Tickets
Adult $25, Senior $15, Child $5, Family pass(2 adults, 2 children) $50

Weekend Pass also available
Adult $40, Senior $25, Child $20, Family pass(2 adults, 2 children) $60

Tickets available at: Roti Jerk & http://www.ticketbreak.com
***More information check out www.caribfest.ca

Caribana 2010 Officially Launches in Toronto!

The 2010 Scotiabank Caribana season officially kicked off last Thursday, July 15 with a celebration at Toronto's Yonge-Dundas Square.

Hosted by CP24's NNeka Elliott, the launch featured a short "parade of bands" which showcased the vibrant costumes worn by parade revellers as well as performances from local artists.

An announcement was made earlier this week that the festival is $100,000 short on funding after not qualifying for money from the Ministry of Tourism.

The two-week long festival now in it's 43rd year is gearing up for the big parade on Lakeshore which takes place on July 31st.

Other events leading up to the parade include the From the Soul Art Exhibit which launches on July 22nd; the Caribana Gala, at the Liberty Grand on July 23rd; and the King and Queens Competition at Lamport Stadium on July 29th and Pan Alive celebrating the steel pan on July 30th.

For more information visit: http://www.caribanafestival.com

Kaiso 365 @ Ontario Science Centre, Toronto, ON - Sat Jul 24th!

Photo Credit - Carol A. Allen

This is where the Calypso Monarch is crowned. Come and see the best and biggest Canadian Calypsonians battle for the crown. From the topical to the lyrical, the sweet soca rhythms will lift you out of your seat and get you moving.

Date: July 24th | 7:00pm – 12:00am
Place: Ontario Science Centre
Featuring:
Cost:
Location: 770 Don Mills Rd North
York, ON,M3C-1T3
Phone: (416)-696-1000
www.ontariosciencecentre.ca

For tickets and more info visit: http://www.ocpacalypsoca.com/index.php/kaiso-365

Junior Carnival @ Yorkgate Mall, North York, ON - Sat Jul 17th!

Junior Carnival is an annual parade that gives children the opportunity to celebrate Caribbean culture and share it with their community. Young masqueraders dance through the streets in their brightly coloured costumes. This parade, similar to the Caribana Parade is made up of a series of Band Leaders displaying costumes in competition. The band sections are made up of only children who are beginning to participate in Caribana Festival traditions.

Location: Yorkgate Mall (Jane & Finch) , 1 York Gate Boulevard, North York, ON

Admission: Free

Time: 11a - 4p

Phone:(416) 739-6968

Visit: http://www.caribanafestival.com/dcmain.aspx?p=0&i=830&skin=60&tID=197

Scotiabank Caribana Festival Launch @ Yonge-Dundas Square - Thurs Jul 15th!

The official ceremony launches the activities for the Scotiabank Caribana Festival Season.

Date: July 15th | 12:00pm - 2:00pm
Place: South-East corner of Yonge and Dundas Streets
Featuring:
Cost: Free
Location: 20 Dundas Street West
Toronto, Ontario
For more info visit: http://www.caribanafestival.com