Summer doesn't end when Caribana does! Jambana
Summer Festivities Continue with Jambana One World Festival in Brampton
Jambana One World Festival will be celebrating Emancipation Day at Chinguacousy Park with music, vendors, and Caribbean flavours. This annual outdoor event is free and, as usual, will be a family-friendly occasion running from 1 PM to 9 PM.
Since its inception, Jambana has grown and evolved, reflecting Ontario’s diverse cultural tapestry. It has become a premier “Fun For The Family” festival, celebrating the sights, sounds, and tastes of the Caribbean Canadian experience. The brainchild of the Jones and Jones Group, the festival has been an important part of the summer calendar since 2009.
The day-long festival will feature captivating live music and dance performances from a variety of talented artists and groups. Among the performers are the Fab 5 (pictured above), a reggae and soca band formed in Jamaica in the late 1960s.
“We have been working with the Fabulous Five (aka Fab 5) for over 20 years, dating back to the early days of the Air Jamaica Festival,” explained festival organizer Jerimi Jones. “We will soon be announcing our full lineup for this year’s Jambana, but Fab 5 will be live on stage!”
Over a 45-year career, the Jamaican band has released 26 albums and had many number one soca and reggae hits in Jamaica, Britain, the US, and here in the GTA.
“Yes, they play soca and reggae,” he continued. “They really do have a multi-generational appeal.”
The festival is not just about music; it also marks Emancipation Day in Canada. Local politicians and community leaders have not yet been confirmed, but a large platform in the park is available for them to use.
While the Jambana Kid’s Zone at Chinguacousy Park hasn't been finalized, the festival remains very much a family affair. The children who come to Jambana love fun and playing in the sunshine. Typically, the weather is good on holiday Monday. “We almost had to hold it back last year. The forecast called for rain, but it never happened, and the party was on,” Jones remarked.
Jambana has been around since 2009 and has been staged in various locations across the GTA, including Downsview Park. Lately, it has been held in Brampton, where the community has embraced it by the thousands. “Last year, we held it in Gage Park in the downtown core by City Hall,” said Jones. “But it was just too small; there were too many people and not enough room.”
This year, the festival is in Chinguacousy Park, a large 40-hectare (100-acre) park in the Bramalea section of Brampton.
Just as the Caribbean Camera went to press, it was announced that Kirk Diamond and The Movement of Ahryel will be performing at Jambana. Jamaican Canadian Diamond is the 2018 Juno Award Winner for Reggae Artist of the Year. Born in Jamaica, the 40-year-old performer is now based in Brampton.
Cutline:
Instagram flashback photograph of Rayzalution on the Jambana stage last year
Fab 5 photo from past sweir article
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