Stephen Weir articles, editorials and popular social media weir postings

Celebration of Life and Memory of Don Moreland - photo by  Anthony Berot Amazing support: Don Moreland’s legacy lives on in Sunday’s Celebration of Life and Memory gathering By Stephen Weir Thanks to his ever present ladder, Don Moreland was a giant among photographers, and even more than that for the   annual Toronto Caribbean Carnival.   The popular photographer passed away January 18 as the result of a heart attack. On Sunday his family, friends and supporters gathered at a Dundas Street We Legion Hall to celebrate his life and legacy. Don’s partner of 22 years, Susanna Noel and her sons and daughters and his brother and sister welcomed over a 100 guests and well wishers to the afternoon event.   “Today Don would have turned 59,” said Susanna Noel “ So let’s all wish him Happy Birthday.”   Don Moreland - Facebook photo “(Don) was a beacon for all to see and admire. Bold and confident, his was a tenacious soul whose radiance was so grand h...

--> Cover for Kid's Parade book by Don Moreland  The Faces Of This Year's Festivals By Stephen Weir For the past two-weeks photographer Don Moreland has been pouring over the thousands of photographs that he and his team of photographers took at this year’s Toronto Caribbean Carnival Grand Parade, the Children’s Parade and the King and Queen Competition.   By this weekend his first copies of his coffee table photography books about the just completed carnival will begin to roll off the presses. “I am quite proud of our parade photographs. There were three of us taking pictures for the book. We spread ourselves around the route and got every section in each of the eleven bands that took part in the parade,” Don Moreland told the Camera. “If you went down the road this year, your photograph is in all likelihood in our Grand Parade photography book.   The same holds true for the Kiddies Parade and the King and Queen Show.” King and Queen Book Co...

By Stephen Weir Photos by Don Moreland The annual Toronto Caribbean Gala was held on Friday night in a new location this year. The only formal event for the three-week festival was staged at the Riviera Events and Convention Centre in Woodbridge, northeast of the city of Toronto. This was first time in over ten-years that the Gala was not held at the Liberty Grand Ballroom at Exhibition Place.  The Riviera Events and Convention Centre bills itself “s one of the largest Banquet Halls in Ontario, with the ability to host up to 1400 guests in our second level ballroom.” However, Friday’s Gala was not a sold-out event and many seats were left empty throughout the dinner and entertainment performance. The Carnival Gala took advantage of the space to create a large performance areas both inside the banquet hall and in the foyer. Pan Fantasy, The Omega Band, Miami based, former Trinidad Junior Calypso and Young Kings Monarch Roger George, and the Neema Children’s Choir all perfor...

By  Stephen Weir Photographs by Don Moreland (Carnival North) Meet the junior sized King and Queen of this year’s Toronto Caribbean Carnival.   Lift up a glass of soda and salute Caneisha Edwards and Evan Murphy - For the next three weeks they are the toast of the town! The second annual Toronto Caribbean Carnival’s Junior King and Queen Showcase was held outdoors on Sunday afternoon at the Woodbine Mall. Under a cloudless skies and blazing hot temperatures, children in elaborate mas costumes competed for the titles of Junior King and Queen. The Mall, located at Rexdale Blvd and Highway 27, erected a large stage and bleachers in its parking lot. The afternoon competition for the young revelers, mirrors the annual adult King and Queen Showcase held outdoors at Lamport Stadium during the final week of carnival. “ The Kings, the Queens, and individuals of the Carnival bands unveil their elaborately themed costumes highlighting the creative minds an...