Caribana 2009 kicked into high gear Saturday morning with music, floats and the annual parade that piled tens of hundreds of observers along the Lakeshore. The weather cooperated this year and provided the requisite tropical heat to go along with the saucy dancing and the spicy food. All in all it was a great celebration.

Despite worries that high fences would dampen the spirits of both the crowd and the performers, the best was made of a less than ideal situation. And in some places, the fences were an appropriate height for spectating.

The crowd along Lakeshore Rd. was pretty amazing.

Caribana 2009 offered an interesting cross section of world cultures coming together in the spirit of merrymaking and fun.

Costumed performers of all ages were in full regalia and proudly representing their culture.

A common sight during Caribana were enormous outfits that had to be carted around on wheels.

Participants proudly wore their vibrant colours.

All in all, it was a day of smiles and good vibes at Caribana 2009.

Check out this YouTube clip for video selections of the parade.

Writing and primary photography by Gadjo Sevilla.

Photograph 3 by cannuck bassist, 4 by chunchocampeon, 5 and 6 by rb3m, all of Flickr.