For two decades, former NBA player Jamaal Magloire has helped shape the Toronto Caribbean Carnival, transforming Toronto Revellers into one of the festival’s largest and most recognizable mas bands.
As the band marks its 20th anniversary this year, Toronto Revellers is expecting a record 4,000 masqueraders to hit the road for the Grand Parade — another milestone in what Magloire says has been a journey built on culture, community and perseverance.
Ahead of the parade, the band unveiled its elaborate costumes and performances at the Toronto Caribbean Carnival’s annual King and Queen Showcase on Thursday. While Toronto Revellers has celebrated success on the stage over the years, this year’s top King and Queen honours went to rival band Saldenah, as Toronto Revellers now sets its sights on defending its 2025 Band of the Year title.
Speaking with Now Toronto at the showcase, Magloire said that while every band wants to win, preserving and growing Caribbean culture remains his biggest motivation.
“I’m very excited,” he said. “We always want to win, but trying to spread our culture within the community and keep this thing growing for a very long time is what’s most important to me.”
With Carnival weekend underway, Magloire said his team is ready to deliver another unforgettable experience for masqueraders.
“I’m very ready for the road,” he said. “I have a great team behind my back. We’ve been working very hard for a very long time, and we’re going to continue to do what we have to do to make sure that these masqueraders get what their value is and what they paid for.”
The milestone year also comes during a deeply personal chapter for Magloire. In May, he lost his mother, Marion Magloire, who founded Toronto Revellers and played a major role in the band’s success. Despite the loss, he says he remains committed to carrying on her legacy.
“She was my sounding board. When everybody else said I couldn’t do it and I was out of my category, leaving basketball to do this, she supported me,” he said emotionally. “Twenty years later, you can see how it has benefited and how it’s worked for our community.”
As Toronto Carnival returns to the streets this weekend, Magloire remains optimistic about both the future of Toronto Revellers and the festival itself.
“[Toronto Revellers] is only going to grow. I started 20 years ago with 100 people, and now my contingency is 4,000,” he said. “We’re going to continue to help this Carnival be the best in North America—if not, in the world.”
He added that Toronto’s short summer makes celebrations like Carnival even more meaningful.
“The summer is so short, so we have to embrace every single thing. We need to support this thing because before long, it’s going to be cold again, and we’re all going to be back inside.”
Reflecting on the band’s 20-year journey, Magloire showed gratitude to the volunteers, designers, performers and supporters who have helped Toronto Revellers grow into one of Carnival’s biggest attractions.
“I’d like to say thank you for the support for the last 20 years. We’ve worked extremely hard. Often, people just see the end result, which is King and Queen and the parade on the road, but they don’t see the culture, they don’t see the dynamics, they don’t see the fellowship, the camaraderie that goes behind the scenes in order to make shows like this and productions like this happen,” he said.
He encouraged Torontonians to join in on the experience and enjoy Carnival firsthand.
“I encourage everybody not only just to watch it on TV, but to be a part of it. Whether you want to volunteer, whether you want to play mas, just come and be a part of it.”
