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  Marching to the Tune of Different Drummers Stephen Weir The Caribana Arts Group (CAG), originally known as the Caribbean Cultural Committee (CCC), the founding organization of the original 20th-century Toronto street festival, held a virtual Annual General Meeting and election over the weekend. The CAG now has a new board, with Chedwick Creightney elected as Chair for the next three years and Damien Edwin as Vice Chair. CAG Across from City Hall at their Emancipation Day Parade 2024. SWEIR "Six members were elected, and five members will be appointed," said Geraldine Stafford, the CAG General Secretary. "We had a record-setting attendance of 174 members—our highest in at least the past decade." Chedwick Creightney, a Jamaican Canadian who lives and works in Pickering, previously served on the CAG board during the last term. According to Stafford, he brings significant fundraising and networking experience to the board. Chedwick i...

Harbinger of parades to come in Toronto this week The cars honked, the bikers waved, and merchants came out of their Bloor Street stores to offer encouragement. TV news crews filmed the drummers drumming. Tuesday afternoon's weather was perfect for the second annual Emancipation on Bloor event. The blue skies, moderate summer temperatures, and a slight wind to cool the 50 individuals, all dressed in white, marching on the sidewalks of one of Toronto's busiest streets made it all worthwhile. It was the day after the night before for most of the participants. Following The Underground Freedom Train Ride, which ended in the early hours of Tuesday, and attending a Blackhurst funding announcement at noon, the dedicated members of the community took to Bloor Street to march to the sounds of Pan Man Pat's walking pan band from the Blackhurst Cultural Centre near Bloor and Bathurst to the Christie Pits Park. Participants were asked to wear white and come with wrapped heads, and mos...