After the pandemic grounded the Toronto Caribbean Carnival for two years, revellers in bright and colourful costumes returned to the road Saturday (July 30) for the 2022 Grand Parade. They were quickly drowned out by stormers.
Crowds – who don’t fork over the their monthly rent to play mas – crashing through the gates on to the Grand Parade route is par for the course at the Toronto Caribbean Carnival. Though this time the masses managed to grind the festivities to a screeching halt much earlier than usual. Social media users say stormers even tried to cross the competition stage, where revellers compete for band of the year.
In our cover story, Wanna Thompson spoke to Toronto mas camps about improving the road experience, especially since COVID-19 handed them the time for a reset. Unfortunately that time off didn’t help festival organizers and the funding bodies that support them to figure out how to improve barriers and keep the road clear for the parade.
NOW photographer Nick Lachance captured the beautiful feathers, the dwindling energy and the two people pictured above who we have to respect for catching a bubble while respecting mas through the fence.
Read More:
Toronto Caribbean Carnival: On the road again
Toronto Carnival Guide 2022: Fetes, shows, pop-ups and a parade
In photos: The road to Toronto Caribbean Carnival 2022
Podcast: Nailah Blackman on (re)defining soca, rejuvenating Trinidad Carnival
