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Showing posts with the label festival management committeee

Time to change the name of the Toronto Caribbean Carnival (again)?

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Brampton’s getting ready to show Toronto how to Reggae down the road By Stephen Weir Maybe it is time the annual carnival changed its name again.  How about the Toronto and Brampton Caribbean Carnival?  Johanna Grant, a long time Carnival reveller, is starting her own band  - The Freedom Mas Band - and has already organized her camp in Brampton. She has taken a space in the Dixie and Steeles area and has a booked a hall for her early April 5th costume launch.   “ As far as I know we are the first Mas Band from Brampton to participate in the Toronto parade,” she told the Caribbean Camera this week. “ You know Scarborough is getting a little crowded (with camps). Everyone in Brampton and Mississauga loves the idea it saves a lot of driving. And for out-of-towners we are are only 10-minutes from the airport, if they want to pick-up a costume after landing.” For its inaugural year, Freedom Mas, will be a non-competitive band.  That means that Grant is limited to signing u

A laneway for Charley

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Charles Roach’s name soon to take to the street. City of Toronto names St Clair West laneway after the father of Caribana By Stephen Weir Caribbean Camera In one week the late Charley Roach will have his name immortalized on a mid-town Toronto alley.    The City of Toronto is about to give name to a small laneway in the St. Clair Avenue West neighbourhood where the late prominent human rights lawyer, artist, musician and a founding father of Caribana, worked. The City will be holding the laneway celebration in the memory of Charley Roach on Wednesday, July 18th at 7pm.    Hosting the event will be local Councilor Joe Mihevc. The soon-to-be Charles Roach Lane, is just north of St. Clair Avenue and runs from Feel Good Lane east to Rushton Road.   Charley Roach was born September 18, 1933, in the community of Belmont in Trinidad and Tobago. He and his first wife, Hetty, immigrated to Canada in 1955 and settled in Saskatchewan so that Charle