Stephen Weir articles, editorials and popular social media weir postings

A Day of Chef Selwyn’s Caribbean Food Magic Outdoors at Jamaica Canadian Association Summer officially ends in just 30 days, but the hot weather celebration of Caribbean Canadian foods continues this Saturday thanks to Award winning chef and food stylist, Selwyn Richards. On Saturday The Jamaica Canadian Association (JCA) and the Art of Catering will be showcasing his cooking at an all-day outdoor gourmet Caribbean Jamaican fete. It's billed as Chef Selwyn Taste! And, from noon until 8pm outdoors at the CJA headquarters in North York people will be able enjoy his many dishes at three food stations! "Carnival is over for this year, but, people aren't ready to stop enjoying the flavours of the Islands," explained Chef Selwyn. " I promise to re-introduce Torontonians to the riotous tantalizing dishes that truly are authentically Caribbean." "We aren't giving up on summer just yet," he continued " People are going to be jumping and saying Wo

Slave Clothes On The Mink Mile? Only on Emancipation Day   Photos and story by Stephen Weir:  According to well-known activist, organizer and owner of Canada’s largest diversity bookstore,  Itah Sadu  what happened on Sunday on Bloor Street was neither a demonstration nor a parade.  Maybe not but the Mas models, actors in chains wearing slave clothing and children holding Black Power signs walked the  Mink Mile  on Sunday afternoon – it was an August 1 st   Emancipation Day  to remember.   “No, this was an act of love,” explained Sadu. “ We billed it as  E mancipation 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 here in Toronto.” Actors in slave clothing carry their chains  Yonge & Bloor in Toronto It started after lunch at one of the busiest intersections in Canada – Yonge and Bloor Street.  Over 60 musicians, models, street ac

  Meanwhile at Scarborough Town Centre                        NDP leader MPP Andrea Horwath tours Carnival Flavours with two Mas Models                      - photo by Herman Silochan    Following the late afternoon ending of the Emancipation Day happening along Bloor Street, many of the participants piled into cars and made their way to the Scarborough Town Centre for the windup of the last Toronto Caribbean Carnival event scheduled for 2022.   Called  Carnival Flavours ,  the three-day fete was held outdoors at the  Scarborough Town Centre .  Pan. Calypso. Dance. Food.  Costumes. Every form of Carnival Arts was on stage performing on Friday, Saturday and Sunday evenings on the mall’s huge parking lot. Carib Beer, one of the Carnival Flavours had a large beer tent on site.   “We had an incredible turn-out, and for the most part the weather held up,” said Carnival COO Chris Alexander. “Because of Covid restrictions we were limited to how many people could come in.  Basically we were so

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

All things Carnival will be on stage at Toronto Caribbean Carnival last hooray weekend.   By Stephen Weir   There is a saying amongst Toronto carnival lovers, “It never rains on the Caribana Weekend”. With a good forecast from the Weather Network and a lot of finger crossing on the part of the Festival Management Committee, it looks as though that 54-year old adage is going to ring true for at least one more summer.   This Friday, Saturday and Sunday the wrap-up to the 2021  Toronto Caribbean Carnival  will be held outdoors at the  Scarborough Town Centre .  Pan. Calypso. Dance. Food.  Costumes. Every form of Carnival Arts will be on display for three-days.   When the Carnival first announced its plans for the month of July, this weekend’s fete was earmarked to be a Caribbean Food Truck round up in the  Scarborough Town Centre’s  parking lot.  That idea was scrapped two weeks ago because another Food Truck festival –  Street Eats  – had already locked into the Scarborough Town Centre f

  DARIO ET LA DIABLESSE: No Strings Theatre Dario et la Diablesse  is still a work in progress but beginning this Friday music and dance fans can watch online as this new Caribbean Musical is work-shopped by young actors and dancers from Canada and the Caribbean.  It is the latest project of the 16-year old non-profit  No Strings Theatre  and will have a week long PWYC run.     Richardo Keens-Douglas This new musical is being made under the guidance of Dora Mavor Award winner  Richardo Keens-Douglas  and Broadway performer and choreographer  Mark Cassius . “In this story, La Diablesse, the beautiful female devil, falls in love with her prey, and now has to convince her father, the Devil, to not steal his soul,” explained  Denise Williams,  the Artistic Director of the No Strings Theatre. “ It is a Caribbean based virtual showing that (is perfect)   during the time of Emancipation Day and the Toronto Caribbean Carnival.” No Strings is based in the  Artscape Wychwood Barns  arts hub,   n

Jet Service, Miami to Dominica, just in time for the 2021 Christmas Rush Tickets have already gone on sale for a new jet service to the island of  Dominica. American Airlines   for the first time will fly direct between Miami and Dominica starting December 8 th The service will operate twice weekly on Wednesday and Saturday, departing  Miami International Airport  at 11am and arriving at  Douglas-Charles Airport  at 3:21pm. The return flight will leave Dominica at 4:24pm and arrive in Miami at 6:55pm This route decision by American Airlines comes after a successful proving flight, which occurred last month. The airline used an  Embraer jet  for the test run, and it will be the South American made plane that will be used when the new service kicks off. The Embraer will have both business class and economy seating.  American Airlines will be offering a similar service to the island of  Anguilla  beginning in December.