The history of Caribana

Emancipation

Slavery ended across the British Empire, and Caribbean communities turned freedom into festival. Carnival's roots lie here.

Read Our Story

Canboulay

In Trinidad the Canboulay processions became a fight for the street, and part of the memory carnival carries.

Read the story bank entry

Caribana begins

For Canada's centennial, West Indian volunteers in Toronto organized a Caribbean festival, the first Caribana. Accounts put the first parade at around 50,000 people, though sources differ on details.

Meet the founders

The Caribbean Cultural Committee

According to Wikipedia, the organizing body became the Caribbean Cultural Committee.

The Caribana Arts Group and a new organizer

According to Wikipedia and The Canadian Encyclopedia, the Caribana Arts Group succeeded the Caribbean Cultural Committee in 2005 and holds the Caribana trademark. From 2006 the city-appointed Festival Management Committee organized the Toronto festival.

The name changes

After a dispute over use of the Caribana name, a 2011 settlement led to the name "Scotiabank Caribbean Carnival". In 2015 the festival's official name became Toronto Caribbean Carnival. Sources differ on some of these years.

Caribana and the Toronto Caribbean Carnival explained

The 60th anniversary

Caribana began in 1967, so 2027 marks 60 years. The Caribana Arts Group is gathering photos and stories on the way there.

See Road to 60