Stephen Weir articles, editorials and popular social media weir postings

D’New Regulars will be Off-Duty Next Sunday Night By Stephen Weir    When it comes to Carnival Canada’s longest serving Mas Man, Michael Williams ( pictured below ) he is never off duty, except next Sunday. He started the D’Regulars in 1973 and now 49-years later with a slightly different name, he will be presenting a costume launch for this year’s Mas Band. Canada’s Armed Forces generals are not probably going to like what William’s troop of models are going to be wearing on stage at the Spade Bar & Lounge. But given that the D New Regulars theme is “Off Duty”, enlisted or not, Soca party people will want to jump up and jump in.   “We have five sections of which four of them tie right into military uniforms,” explained Williams. Two sections have naval themed mas costumes (think male and female white navy uniform tops and of course skimpy bottoms)and two sections based on camo army fatigues.   “I designed all of the costumes and for the fifth section I looked ba...

2019 CARNIVAL KICK-OFF By Stephen Weir The 2019 Toronto Carnival kicked off early early last Saturday morning, or late late Friday night (take your pick) with Tribal Carnival holding the first Toronto band launch of the season. A non-stop parade of stunning looking male and female models strutted across the Grande Luxe ballroom stage to show an enthusiastic audience what people will be wearing on the road August 3rd for the annual Caribbean Carnival Parade. Established in 2007 Tribal is one of the festival’s most successful touring Mas Bands. Tribal has not only competed successfully in Toronto’s annual festival but is also a driving force in the annual Cayman Islands’ spring Batabano Carnival. This past weekend’s costume launch attracted an estimated crowd of 500 revellers who came out to see Tribal’s costumes and sign up to play Mas with Tribal. Band founder Dexter Seusahai stood on stage and opened the show just before midnight with a silent tribute to people who...

Junior Carnival Parade Gets Adult Carnival Sized Numbers   By Stephen Weir The rain held off, the junior revelers wore beautiful costumes and the Junior Carnival Parade and Family Day notched the largest audience ever. The annual kiddies parade and family fair was held Saturday in Malvern and organizers are reporting a record turnout of spectators. “ We had about1, 800 children playing Mas on Saturday,” event organizer Eric Delfish told the Caribbean Camera. “In terms of spectator numbers, it could be more, but, I am going to stick with pegging it at 20,000 people. It was the largest turnout with many impressed first-timers coming out to cheer on the kiddies.” The parade kicked-off at 11am Saturday morning with an official opening ceremony at the Malvern Community Centre.  Toronto Mayor John Tory had the help of many Federal, Provincial and civic leaders to cut the ribbon and get the kids as young as 2-years old, out on the road. Among the dignitaries helping ...

Book on its way for the summer of 2018 Moreland (l) and Louis Saldenah - Mas-K-Camp By Stephen Weir Caribbean Camera readers know the carnival pictures of Don Moreland.   All this spring the paper has been featuring his pictures of   both children and adult Mas Band Camp costume launches for this year’s Toronto Caribbean Carnival. Right now the longtime Carnival photographer is making the rounds visiting the Mas Camps to get support for his new project – publishing a photography book of revelers “on the road” playing Mas in the Grand Parade on Lakeshore Blvd along Toronto’s waterfront. He and his team of photographers will be working with the 11 mas camps taking part in the parade. He wants to make sure that bands’ presentations are beautifully captured by his cameras as they perform to the throng of spectators who will be taking in the festival. With some of the large bands expecting thousands of costumed players to take part, Moreland has his work cut...

Old Time Blocko Brings Out the Calypso in Toronto By Stephen Weir for Tomorrow's Caribbean Camera Connector is no dummy; he knows that it pays to have a sense of humour to be a Calypso singer these days. When the 2016 Calypso Monarch was asked to pose for a fun picture with a member of the audience at a new weekly Blocko, he said he knew someone just stupid enough to help him out. He was right; a blond haired mannequin in the Epic Carnival costume showroom was an excellent m odel for this Caribbean Camera photographer. The Toronto singer came by the Epic Carnival mas camp at the Tam Heather Curling Club in Scarborough last Friday to perform at their new Friday night Blocko parties. It was perfect weather for a fete that was held both inside and outside the large sports building for the new series. He sang, danced and performed to about 100 people (and costumed mannequins) both inside the hall and outside looking in from the parking lot. “It was a bit of old time Carnival sin...

It was a Kiddies Launch Weekend in Toronto By Stephen Weir  Photographs by Don Moreland Two days. Three launches.   Close to a 1,000 kids and parents spent part of their weekend taking in costume launches for this year’s Kiddies Parade. On Saturday and Sunday trio of Mas Camps held parties and fashion shows for junior revelers who want to play Mas this summer.   Sun Lime Mas, Louis Saldenah’s Mas-K-Camp and Tribal Carnival held free costume launches to show children what costumes they could wear in the coming July 21 st Junior Carnival. On Saturday Sun Lime Mas did just what their name says.   Under a warm sun, the Kiddies Band Launch was taken outdoors onto a large wooden stage that had been built behind their St. Clair Avenue East headquarters (Kennedy/Midland).   Parents and friends sat in lawn chairs and limed while the children lunched on hot dogs and treats and waited for the show to start.    Over a dozen young chil...