Caribana Parade
Originally published by thestar.com
By Katie Daubs
July 31, 2010 Caribana revelers enjoy the 43rd annual parade along Lake Shore Blvd. The sights and sounds of Saturday's Caribana parade were enough to bring a smile to any face - as were events leading up to the parade. Toronto Star/Andrew Wallace
The costumes, for many, are the highlight
The sights and sounds of Saturday’s Caribana parade were enough to bring a smile to any face.
Especially one covered in sparkles.
“She likes to dance,” Latasha Coombs said, smiling with glittery lips as her one year old daughter did her best booty shake between swigs of her sippy cup.
Heaven Tyrell was decked out in a full red and gold costume just like her mom for her very first Caribana.
Three generations of the family were waiting for the parade to begin in the Exhibition Place parking lot. The lot was filled with colourful masqueraders dancing non-stop among discarded chicken bones and water bottles. Coombs’ aunt Cherry-Ann Baird didn’t mind the wait. She was happy to be “listening to the music, dancing and having a good time” with her family.
“It’s not fun unless you’re in costume,” she said.
Although many of the spectators gyrating on the sidelines would disagree, it’s hard to argue with head-to-toe fabulousness.
Standing in the shade of an ice cream truck, Shiloh Williams, 5, wore a headdress she was given at last years parade. “That’s my favourite part,” she said as three women walked by covered in glitter and not much else.
Masini McDermott, 16, was in her first Caribana when she was two months old. As she waited to “flaunt it” in front of the judges, she said soca music fills her with a rush of adrenalin. “It’s the best time of my life” she said.
She had no trouble talking over the beats.
“We’re very loud when it comes to Caribana,” she said.
The parade began at 10 a.m. from Exhibition Place and headed west along Lake Shore Blvd. W. to Parkside Dr.
Outgoing CEO Joe Halstead said it was a great send-off for his final year at the helm. But he wouldn’t pick a favourite mas band.
“They’re all worthy competitors,” he said pointing to the dancers jumping at the judge’s stage. “Just look at the imagination and the creativity. They’re all so different. They’ve put so much thought into it.”
Although some spectators said it didn’t seem as busy as usual, organizers said the crowd was bigger than last year, when they pegged the number of revelers at 1-1.2 million. Crowd numbers are difficult to estimate because there is no easy way to count the legions of people along the parade’s route.
A police officer watching the parade said it looked like a third of the city came out. An officer at police headquarters said “thousands” were on hand, with no incidents, just “lots of partying.”
The partying even led some people to ignore the fences along the parade route. The fences were erected to keep spectators and dancers separate.
Caribana spokesman Stephen Weir said some spectators and dancers who had already finished were mingling near the end of the parade route, making it difficult for mas bands to get through.
Featherless federal Liberal leader Michael Ignatieff could be seen near the fence giving high fives.
Earlier in the day, a very warm-looking George Smitherman, also featherless, tried to keep up with his mas band as he greeted people on the other side of the fence.
Smitherman and his crew had purple shirts and “Jump up for George” signs.
“Who wants beads?” the mayoral hopeful shouted.
Everyone.
This is Caribana after all.
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