Stephen Weir articles, editorials and popular social media weir postings

  2022 Saldenah Carnival Costume Launch By Stephen Weir   Louis Saldenah, Canada’s most winning Mas Man said it before last month's Saldenah Carnival’s Streets of Fire costume launch and he is saying it now for sure. “ I told you so! The people of Toronto are hungry, hungry, hungry for carnival and 2022 is going to be that year, ” predicted Saldenah after his launch party attracted 2,000 people hungry to  look at the costumes that will be worn on the road in this year’s Toronto Caribbean Carnival Grand Parade.   “ I have always said this is going to be the best Carnival ever,” he told the Caribbean Camera. “After two years being cooped up at home without Carnival, I think everyone is saying, “Damn it, let’s just get out there (and jump up).” Louis’s Saldenah Carnival (formally the Mas K Club) holds the record of twenty “Band of the Year” titles for the annual Caribbean Carnival parade. Not only does his band win prizes for the looks of their masquerade...

The Energy in the Hall on Saturday Night?  It was E.P.I.C By Stephen Weir The E.P.I.C. Carnival Mas Band lived up to the meaning of its name – Energy. Passion. Imagination. Culture – and then some. After the two year lay-off staging a costume launch (because of Covid) came out of the gate just smoking! The Saturday night’s Costume Launch at Scarborough’s Grand Cinnamon Convention Hall was a passionate preview of what they are going to bring to the street at the Toronto Caribbean Carnival in 2022.  According to our photographer Herman Silochan there over 1,000 people at the launch to see the costumes of a dozen sections over the course of the midnight show.  The theme this year?  Energy of course. And lots of it. With section names like Pulse, Shockwave and Animale it is only natural that their costumes work the Energy theme. Lots of electric blue and fire red are worked into the costumes’ colour scheme, and like the other Bands that have launched before sk...