Stephen Weir articles, editorials and popular social media weir postings

Bacchanal in d’ Centennial Park uses all the Caribbean Arts to tell Carnival story By Stephen Weir - Caribbean Camera Do you have 45-minutes to give your all to the traditions of Carnival? This Sunday afternoon 45 actors, stick fighters, stilt walkers and Calypso stars will come Dingolay in the Centennial Park and the whole city is invited watch. At 3pm Ol' Time Carnival, Bacchanal in d' Plantation Yard! takes over the northwest corner of the park located at Markham and Ellesmere Ave in Scarborough. This is a free, rain or shine event that organizers describe as “being very family friendly!” “ Ol’ Time Carnival came about after I met a young woman who told me she was going to be playing Mas in the Toronto’s Carnival Parade. I asked her if she knew why we play Mas. She said she didn’t know, which made me mad,” show co-producer and writer Jacky Forde told the Caribbean Camera in a late night mas camp interview earlier this week. “But then we (pointing at her husband Clar...

By Stephen Weir, as published in the Caribbean Camera By all rights the Trinidad red, white and black flag should now have a small maple leaf stitched into it’s corner tin honour of Canada’s participation in the just concluded Trinidad Carnival. A large contingent of Canadians came to the island to supply costumes, pan music, inspiration, comedy and song to the world famous festival. From the King and Queen competition, to Panorama, to the J’ouvert and the actual parade, Canadian carnival experience was put to work. Hundreds more joined bands and jumped up in the street, or, simply stood on the sidewalk and took it all in. The annual event got off to a rocky start when reports of a possible terrorist plot became a much repeated news item across the Caribbean, The UK, and the US and in Toronto.    Last Thursday, according to the Trinidad Guardian “T&T Police Service revealed they had uncovered and prevented a threat to disrupt Carnival activities mere days before...