Stephen Weir articles, editorials and popular social media weir postings

  Violence at Carnival But not at the 2023 Toronto Caribbean Carnival There is a disturbing video currently circulating throughout the British Isles, showing a white reveler attacking an unarmed black man with a machete during last weekend's Notting Hill Carnival. The London two-day festival includes a huge street parade considered to be the largest street festival in Europe and the second-largest carnival parade in the world. According to recent press reports, over 2 million people took part in the parade, but violent riots and vicious attacks plagued the festival, leaving eight people stabbed, with a 29-year-old man remaining in critical condition. There were 275 arrests across the two days of the carnival, with 165 arrests on parade Monday for a range of offenses, including possession of offensive weapons, assaults (including a sexual assault) on police officers, possession of drugs, and sexual offenses. According to the British Independent newspaper, "the Government has an...

Early Announcement of Caribbean Style August 26th Parade Niagara Falls, renowned for its breathtaking beauty, surprised residents and tourists alike this week with an early announcement about a Caribbean style parade set to take place on the Canadian side of the falls on August 26th.  Despite the premature announcement, anticipation and excitement are growing among those preparing for the free Carifalls and Multicultural Carnival and Parade. Dubbed CariFalls, this multicultural extravaganza promises to showcase the rich tapestry of Caribbean, Latin, Central, South and North American, Brazilian, and Bahamian cultures. Queen Street will be transformed into a vibrant hub, featuring displays of traditional craftsmanship and elaborate, embellished costumes. As the walking parade progresses, cultural music and chants will fill the streets, immersing attendees in a truly worldly experience. After the parade, attendees will hed to a fenced event space, where an impressive lineup of intern...

SugaCayne Can And They Will Candice and Dwayne Dixon have launched a new competitive Mas Band that is using 21st century cutting edge technology to put a new Wow factor into the costumes their dancers will be wearing down the road. Their name is SugaCayne, and the mas band already has chosen a costume launch location and date, five section leaders and a theme name – Liquid Courage – that comes with a double meaning. “ Liquid Courage brings to mind something you need to give you the courage to do something you might never ever do (like putting on a mas costume and dancing down Lakeshore Blvd in the annual Toronto parade),” explains SugaCayne co-founder Dwayne Dixon. “Taking it a lot deeper, our costumes will, in part, be constructed using 3-D technology making spectacular costumes that you can’t make with just wire and glue. These 3-D created parts start off in a liquid state, and that takes some courage.” SugaCayne Designs has made a name for itself by designing and building...

Machel Montano on stage at last year's Atlantic Carnival Costume Launch The Atlantic Will Make A Big Wave When It Comes Ashore at the Toronto Harbour on May 25th By Stephen Weir Atlantic Carnival, one of the newest mas bands taking part in the annual Toronto Caribbean Carnival Parade, isn’t going to be competing in this year’s massive August 3rd event.   That doesn’t mean you won’t see them out on the road, or hosting their signature gigantic mas costume launch – they have been granted special non-competing status in the 2019 carnival despite being banned from the parade! The Caribbean Camera has learned that the Festival Management Committee – the owners of the Toronto Caribbean Carnival – has just changed the structure of the parade itself.   They have decided to allow a number of Mas Bands to sell costumes to revellers and go down the road with the other competing bands while avoiding the judging process.   The bands are also exempted from taking part i...

Sheffield's first parade in over 20 years By Stephen Weir for Caribbean Camera Photos courtesy of the Sheffield Carnival Rise of the Phoenix - photo courtesy of Sheffield Carnival The list of world carnival cities grew by one on the weekend. Sheffield, a British city of close to 1.6 million people staged its first carnival in over 20-years and English media outlets are reporting it was a success. “ This was the first Carnival event held here since the early 1990's,” Sheffield Carnival spokesperson Andrea Risden told the Caribbean Camera. They were aware of the Toronto Caribbean Carnival and other North American festivals, but decided “not to focus on any overseas carnivals at present. This was an event representative of carnivals around England and unique to Sheffield.”​ We had approximately 150 people playing in our mas,” continued Risden. “There were 3 bands in total, Sheffield (split into several sections), Mahogany and a small band from the Leeds West...

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...