Stephen Weir articles, editorials and popular social media weir postings

  Open the Door and Where are all the People by stephen weir If it wasn’t for the model in a sexy Mas costume standing in the window of the Caribbean Tales Film Festival’s Dundas Street West storefront, you wouldn’t know that inside, new movies and short films were being shown in what looks like an old store then a movie theatre. Dubbed the CTFF Hub, the space was used last Thursday night for the Wednesday night launch of the 19th annual Caribbean Tales Film Festival. Judging from the size of the audience, Caribbean Camera wasn’t the only one that had trouble finding the Dundas Street location (near Bathurst). In years past, the opening night of the CTFF was something you wouldn’t miss if you were in the neighborhood of the designated movie theatre or Harbourfront. Loud music, models and TV crews, mainstream media, and even the odd TIFF refugee were present. Big names, from the Mighty Sparrow to Machel, made a point of being out on the street with the rest of us, waiting to get in ...

Bloor Street's Emancipation Flex. All part of the August 1st Emancipation Event held downtown “This was an act of love,” explained event organizer Itah Sadu. “ We billed it as Emancipation on Bloor -- an animation of the Bloor Street Cultural Corridor from Yonge and Bloor (aka the Mink Mile) to Christie and Bloor adding to the all the terrific August First Emancipation Day activities held here in Toronto. photo and cutline by sweir sweir

Two stories about two Toronto Mas Bands Launching On Same Night Reveller's Treasure Island costumes - from Reveller's FB Reveller's Treasure Map Says Launch is in North Toronto this Saturday Early last month the Toronto Revellers announced that their 2019 costume launch will be held this Saturday night in Toronto.  The theme for the costumed fete is Treasure Island. The Saturday night date puts the Revellers into head-to-head competition with the launch previously advertised for Fantazia.  Fantazia and their flaming phoenix logo announced a later start-time for their fashion show (12.30am) for the carnival die-hards it might be possible to catch both events. Jamaal - picture by Stephen Weir "Please join us Saturday April 6, as Toronto Revellers unveil our beautiful costumes for 2019 Peeks Toronto Caribbean Carnival," wrote  the band founder Jamaal Magloire. The Revellers will be holding their launch at the York Mills Gallery on Leslie ...

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...

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...

Photography's Godfather of Costume Launches Don Moreland lives to take Mas pictures By Stephen Weir Caribbean Carnival There are two written-in-stone constants at  all  Toronto Mas Band costume launches.    Law number 1? The costume designs will always radically change from one season to the next. Law number 2? Photographer Don Moreland will be at every launch photographing the models in their costumes and recording the elaborate fashion shows.  “ WOW the people who put on these shows are amazing!” Moreland told the Caribbean Camera. “ My first carnival was in 1987 and I started taking pictures of the launches back in 1997. Since then I have taken over 60,000 photos and have over 300 hour of video tape in my studio warehouse (In Toronto’s Junction District)”. “I am the owner of  Ontario Portable Display Systems,” he continued. “We set up displays at trade shows, galleries and private functions in Canada and the United States.    ...

--> Superstar Machel Montano performing at a rare afternoon costume launch. Machel Montano on College Street By Stephen Weir    The Atlantic Mas camp, with the help of Soca superstar singer Machel Montano, has saved the best for last!   Bandleader Akil Heywood says that their third annual costume launch will be held at the Rebel Nightclub (Polson Pier) the afternoon of May 19 th . “Not everyone wants to stay up until 3am in the morning at a costume launch.   We are holding a launch in the afternoon, with Machel Montano performing on stage at the Rebel nightclub. The Rebel nightclub is one of Toronto’s largest and most popular concert destinations,” said Mr. Heywood. “We are calling the launch an ‘Invitation to Dance’ with a theme we call Semba,” he continued.   “ It is the Victoria Day long weekend, the perfect way to spend holiday Saturday.” Getting the Trinidad based performer known as the Soca King, to perform at a costume lau...