Toronto Caribbean Carnival is the latest major city festival to cancel due to coronavirus.
“The Board of Directors of the Festival Management Committee has decided that due to the continued developments concerning the spread of COVID-19, the severe public health threat, and global health crisis, the month-long events held in July-August is cancelled,” organizers said in a statement on April 8.
The festival includes a series of events throughout July leading up to Pan Alive, the King and Queen Show and the Grande Parade on the Civic Holiday long weekend.
Participants spend six months preparing floats and costumes in the lead up to the big weekend.
“It is our responsibility to the city and our patrons to encourage social distancing, hand washing, and self-isolation to support the efforts of our first responders and essential workers who are at the frontline of the COVID-19 containment,” a statement on the Carnival website reads.
The city has suspended all event permits through June 30. Carnival organizers said that if event permit restrictions are lifted by July 1, they will try to find a “non-traditional” way to celebrate on the weekend of August 1.
This week, the Fringe Festival cancelled and theatre company Soulpepper cancelled all shows through August.
Toronto Pride has also cancelled but organizer are planning to find alternate ways to celebrate during the month of June.
@KevinRitchie
