Stephen Weir articles, editorials and popular social media weir postings

The Grand Old Grande Parade.  Best hang on to your feathers. Sure the parade is in its 52nd year and it is very much the same old same old. However, there are additions and changes to the grand old Grand Parade that spectators should be aware of to get the most out of the August 3rd  world famous road march. First of all the parade is bigger, noisier and longer than last year – the route is 8km in length almost twice the distance in2018.  The parade is larger and will take much longer to play out along Lakeshore Blvd and in the Exhibition Place grounds. Third, the pan orchestras are back in the parade and will certainly make themselves heard above the roar of the crowd. Chris Alexander the head honcho at the carnival office spoke to the Caribbean Camera about the changes and upgrades to the Saturday parade. The bands, beginning at 9.30 am will present themselves in this order: guest bands, competitive bands and then non-competitive bands. Steel bands will round ou

Tonight. I snoozed and now I lose out on the summer best masquerade fete – Beyond the Mas. By Stephen Weir I f you don’t have a ticket for tonight’s Toronto Caribbean Carnival Gala put your wallet away.   Organizers of the “Beyond the Mas – A Celebration of Freedom” fete report that the 400-seat event is sold out. This time it is true, if you snooze you loose.   What you are going to miss is a formal party where the guests are encouraged to come in their finest Mas costumes, and dance and play with the Hoi  Polloi of Toronto’s festival world. You are also going to miss a luscious Caribbean dinner with island influenced cocktails! “This is not your average gala,” one organizer told the Caribbean Camera. “This will be a fabulous interactive party where the ticket holders are part of the magic and the thrill of Carnival.” Beyond the Mas – A Celebration of Freedom is being held this evening at the Riviera Banquet Hall ( 2800 Highway 7). The event starts at 6.00 pm on Friday

Ride the Night Train, July 31st for August 1 Emancipation Ceremony By Stephen Weir The Honourable Wanda Thomas Bernard – Senator from Nova Scotia (East Preston) is coming back to Toronto next week to blow the whistle on Toronto’s Underground. Back for the second time to help out with the annual July 31 st train ride, this year the senator will be the conductor. As the Conductor she will welcome over one thousand people onboard Toronto’s Underground Freedom Train, leaving Union subway station in celebration of Emancipation Day on July 31 st . The riders will be riding in a special TTC subway train on a non-stop ride to the Sheppard St West subway station. Senator Wanda Bernard The Hon. Wanda Thomas Bernard – Senator from Nova Scotia (East Preston), recipient of the Order of Canada and the Order of Nova Scotia, and a highly regarded social worker, educator, researcher, community activist and social change advocate was a guest speaker last year at last year’s ride.  

New Free TV Channel Is Celebrating Caribbean Restaurant Week In Toronto By Stephen Weir One Caribbean TV's Mr. Toronto Damian Sogren at Real Jerk  I missed Samuel Jackson by a couple of days, but, I did get to sit on the very same bar stool he sat in when visiting the Real Jerk.  The popular Jamaican Food Emporium, was mum when I asked what he ate, what he drank and how much was his tip. They did tell me I also missed Drake and Rihanna by a couple years. I wasn’t at the Real Jerk looking for stars, I was there for the Jamaican food and to talk to Damian Sogren the host of One Caribbean TV’s first Toronto Caribbean Restaurant Week shorts. Their on-air Toronto foodie coverage runs from July 17 to July 27th.  One Caribbean Television is a new-to-cable television network about the Caribbean and its people.  Their food event celebrates the rich tradition of Caribbean cuisine found in Toronto as well as providing interesting programming for the network, which recently