Culture: Why Caribana

A closely-spaced set of kings and queens participated in the Caribana Parade under the watchful eye of the CN Tower in Toronto, Ontario on 1-August-2009

TORONTO, ONTARIO - Based on my personality profile and personal history, it wouldn't be expected that I would show up at the Caribana Parade each year. I normally avoid loud, throbbing music rather than seeking it out, I've never been to the Caribbean nor do I have any close friends with ties there, and I generally don't attend events where people are scantily scad.


A butterfly queen was an especially appropriate theme on a day when Monarch butterflies were noted along Lake Ontario, 1-August-2009

So, why do I head down to the shores of Lake Ontario to watch the bulk of the parade each summer? The visual beauty of many of the "king" and "queen" costumes, some of which extend 10 m into the air, clearly are an attraction. Every year, there are new themes to these costumes to enjoy, and the challenge of photographing them around the enormous crowds always adds interest to the day.


A variety of different headdresses were on display as performers slowly made their way down Lake Shore Boulevard West in the Caribana Parade on 1-August-2009

Yet, there's more to it than just watching the parade. For one, parade is rather a misnomer. I've called the Caribana Parade a "moving party" instead of a parade. A disciplined parade with the number of entries in the Caribana Parade that started at 10:00 in the morning would reach the end of the parade route by 14:00. I didn't stick around for the end this year, but nominally, the parade doesn't end until 18:00, and last year it didn't actually end until after 20:00. The trucks and dancers move very slowly along the parade route, stopping for any reason and performing over and over again. As a result, the procession tends to bunch up with gaps of twenty minutes or more between bunches. This actually leads to a very nice rhythm for the observer, as there is time to sneak away and have a meal from one of the many wonderful vendors along the route or wait in line for a restroom between bunches. It is nice, relaxed entertainment.


Bodies of all shapes, sizes, and genders were scantily scad during the Caribana Parade on 1-August-2009

I think what most impresses me about Caribana, though, is the fundamental egalitarian nature of the event. One doesn't have to be a model to participate. Males and females of all body types and varying degrees of fitness all dress for the occasion and head down the parade route, either on a truck or following along the pavement. As a DJ on one of the trucks put it this year, everybody is sexy.


A lion-themed king turned toward the spectators along the Caribana Parade route on 1-August-2009

The combination of all these elements makes for a very enjoyable event, and draws me to show up for at least a good portion of the parade each year.

My full set of pictures from Caribana are currently the featured album on my photo site.

Photos: Caribana Parade

A snake-themed king participated in the Caribana Parade in Toronto, Ontario on 1-August-2009

TORONTO, ONTARIO - This week's update to my photo site features the Caribana Parade. While I do not claim complete coverage this year, I did spend a few hours watching the moving party make its way slowly down Lake Shore Boulevard West in Toronto, Ontario on 1-August-2009. Especially creative kings and queens this year included scorpion, Native American, butterfly, and chariot themes.

Margin Notes: Caribana, Poutine Protein, Media

For the first time in recent years, the Jameson Avenue footbridge over Lake Shore Boulevard West was open during the Caribana Parade, resulting in views like this one on 1-August-2009

TORONTO, ONTARIO - While the city workers strike in Toronto finally ended this week, the effects will last for at least a few more days, as the Simcoe Day celebrations in Toronto during tomorrow's holiday remain canceled. Meanwhile, the Caribana Parade yesterday went on as usual. More coverage will be forthcoming, but an interesting side note was that the Jameson Avenue footbridge was open for the first time in recent years during the parade. Police on either side of the bridge lined people up on one side and then allowed alternating traffic over the bridge every five minutes or so. The arrangement seemed to work well, and I give credit to the Toronto Police for running things efficiently.

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Canada Geese stayed in the shade along Lake Ontario in Toronto, Ontario on 1-August-2009

The weather was not particularly hot during the Caribana Parade, but apparently the Canada Geese though it was too hot. A group of them were found congregating in the shade along the shores of Lake Ontario, just meters from the parade, yesterday. I'd never seen this before--I guess this was cooler than swimming in the lake.

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The concessions at the Caribana Parade are always a great collection of spicy foods; one thing that isn't often found at this event is that Quebecois staple, poutine. A couple weeks ago, a caller to the Dr. Joe Schwarcz radio show out of Montreal, which airs here in Toronto Sundays on CFRB, called to ask about a particular diet. The caller had a bit of an accent, and "Dr. Joe" thought he was asking about a "poutine diet." After about a minute of confusion, it finally came out that the caller was asking about a "protein diet"--a different concept to say the least.

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Radio personalities sometimes make little sense themselves, or are asked to do strange things. Madeleine Brand is currently filling in as a host on NPR's All Things Considered, anchoring from NPR's western studios in Culver City, California. Yet, while regular host Robert Siegel introduces himself as being in "Washington" (as in the District of Columbia), Brand introduces herself as being in "California." For a network normally quite concerned with consistency, it is very odd that one host claims to be in a city, and the other claims to be in a state--and the nation's most populous state, at that.

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The News Hour with Jim Lehrer, soon to be renamed the PBS News Hour, started experimenting with its upcoming format by having Jeffrey Brown read the headlines at the beginning of the program, instead of having Jim Lehrer read it after the top story. As I have been outspoken that the headlines should start the show, I was pleased to hear it--but they returned to the recent less desirable format on Friday. I guess I just need to have patience; change will arrive soon enough.