TORONTO, ON –(Marketwired – May 26, 2015) – The Scotiabank Toronto Caribbean Carnival launched today with costumed Mas models, music and singers at the Ontario Science Centre. The Honourable Michael Coteau, Minister of Tourism, Culture and Sport, helped unveil the 2015 Campaign.

The Scotiabank Toronto Caribbean Carnival will run from July 7, 2015 to August 9, 2015, and once again will bring the culture of Caribbean Canadians to over a million spectators in downtown Toronto.

Because of a Pan Am Games installation at City Hall, the public launch will take place on July 7, 2015 at 12:00pm at Metro Hall’s David Pecaut Square where dancers, musicians and calypso singers will get everyone into the Carnival spirit.

“The Pan Am Games are bringing in an influx of Caribbean and South American visitors to Toronto who have shared history and appreciation of the Carnival. We look forward to sharing our celebration with our new summer guests and, to accommodate the scheduled events, we have shortened the parade route, modified our Junior parade route, and we have added a July 19 outdoor Pan Concert at Fort York in celebration of the Games,” said Scotiabank Toronto Caribbean Carnival CEO, Denise Herrera-Jackson. “We are expecting large crowds because of the Games at our King and Queen contest, Pan Alive, Calypso evening, our daylong Carnival Island Festival, Gala and, of course, the Grand Parade.”

“We are proud to support the Scotiabank Toronto Caribbean Carnival,” said Christine Williams, Scotiabank’s District Vice President, East Toronto District. “The Carnival brings together the local community and visitors from around the world to celebrate the sights, sounds and flavours of the Caribbean.”

“The Ontario Science Centre is delighted, for the 6th consecutive year, to sponsor the Innovation in Mas award. We celebrate our partnership with the Caribbean Carnival and through this award recognize innovation in Mas costume design and engineering. Science is everywhere!” said Dr. Maurice Bitran, CEO, Ontario Science Centre. “We also look forward to hosting a community film night in conjunction with the Festival.”

The Grand Parade along the Toronto waterfront, on August 1, is expected to draw well over a million people down to Toronto’s Exhibition Place and surrounding grounds. This year, the parade route is being shortened to speed up the daylong event. The parade will travel the length of the Exhibition Place before entering Lakeshore Blvd, giving the Festival more space to accommodate paying spectators.

For Scotiabank Toronto Caribbean Carnival events – see attached

The Scotiabank Toronto Caribbean Carnival is an exciting three-week cultural explosion of Caribbean music, cuisine, and revelry as well as visual and performing arts. It has become a major international event and the largest cultural festival of its kind in North America. As Carnival is an international cultural phenomenon, the great metropolis of Toronto and its environs will come alive as the city explodes with the pulsating rhythms and melodies of Calypso, Soca, Reggae, Chutney, Steel Pan and Brass Bands. The Festival Management Committee oversees the running of North America’s largest outdoor festival.

Corporate sponsors / partners of this year’s Festival include Scotiabank, OLG, The Toronto Star, CTV, CP-24, The Canadian Federal Government, The Province of Ontario, City of Toronto, Tourism Toronto, The Ontario Science Centre, Exhibition Place, The Liberty Grand, Porter Airlines, and Willow Springs Winery.

For more information about the programmes and events, please visit the festival’s official website at www.torontocaribbeancarnival.com. The Festival Office is located at 19 Waterman Avenue.
Contact info:
Tel: 416-391-5608;
Email: [email protected].

Read more: http://www.benzinga.com/pressreleases/15/05/m5541547/the-scotiabank-toronto-caribbean-carnival-celebrates-the-carnival-of-th#ixzz3bM92qKKE
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