Are you having a good summer so far? Being bored isn’t an excuse when you have exciting events like the Caribbean Carnival happening right around the corner! This year’s Scotiabank Caribbean Carnival (formerly known as Caribana) began on July 8th and runs until August 3rd, with the Grand Parade happening on the 2nd. Over the month, the celebrations of Caribbean entertainment and culture will continue long into the night.
The festival’s also celebrating its 46th year and will feature many musical events, outdoor food vendors and colourful parades inspired by the Caribbean region. Here’s a list of featured events that are coming up soon:
1) The Junior Carnival will be happening on July 19th from 11 AM- 8 PM. It’s a free family friendly event that allows children to celebrate and show off their excitement for Caribbean culture. Costumes are encouraged!
2) The Festival Gala is the equivalent of a high school semi-formal… but a billion times more important and worthwhile. And features genuine Caribbean culture, eats, entertainment and more. It’s going to be held at the Liberty Grand on July 25th from 5:30 PM – 2 AM. Get your tickets here!
3) Carnival Island takes place on August 3rd (also the last day of the festival). Held on Olympic Island, it’s going to be a fun day of popular Caribbean music of different genres. It’s a family friendly event but don’t dwell on it, just get your tickets today.
4) The big finale takes place in the form of a Grand Parade on August 2nd. From 9 AM – 6 PM, the parade will be held around the Exhibition Place and Lakeshore Boulevard. It will be a parade to remember, as it’s still got the distinction of being the “biggest carnival party in North America”! You can watch the parade for free, or you can get tickets here to be in the VIP section.
5) Roam the city yourself! As you can see, most events are free and spread out around the city. If you research the ticketed events beforehand, you’d be set to go!
FUN TIP: Drake’s OVO Festival starts right after the Caribbean Carnival ends. Stretching over a span of two days (with Outkast headlining the 3rd!), this year’s OVO is bound to be jam packed. I mean, it’s technically sold out already so you can imagine the craziness that’s about to take over.
Check out the festival’s official website for more information and head on out to celebrate their 47th anniversary!
