Your complete guide to the Caribbean Carnival in Toronto for 2024
The Caribbean Carnival, also known as Caribana, is one of the most-anticipated festivals of the year in Toronto.
It's back this week and it all culminates this weekend with four days of full of dancing, music and food celebrating Caribbean culture.
With so much going on in the city to celebrate the Toronto Caribbean Carnival — including both official and peripheral events — it can be hard to decide what's worth your time and what's not, so read on for a complete guide of everything happening for Toronto Caribbean Carnival 2024.
Parade
Even if you know absolutely nothing about the Toronto Caribbean Carnival, mention of the annual Grand Parade will undoubtedly conjure images of dazzlingly-dressed masqueraders dancing down Lake Shore West, and it's for that exact reason that the parade has become the single most important (and popular) event of the weekend.
This year, the Grand Parade is taking place on Saturday, Aug 3, from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. The parade route begins and ends at Exhibition Place, moving westbound along Lake Shore West before turning back east at Jameson Avenue.
Mas Band leaders wear incredible costumes at the Grand Parade. Photo by Fareen Karim.
Signature Events
While the Grand Parade gets a lot of the glory when it comes to the Toronto Caribbean Carnival, there are a number of other special events that take place during the week leading up to the big weekend.
The King and Queen Showcase is one such can't-miss event.
Taking place between 7 and 11:50 p.m. on Aug 1 at Exhibition Place, the showcase is the first time the Mas Band leaders will reveal their elaborate, colourful and often enormous costumes, culminating in the crowning of the King and Queen of the Parade.
If you miss the parade, not to fear. Another favourite event of the festival is the Mas Band jam that follows the parade. All of the festival's features Mas Bands end up back at Exhibition Place and jam out into the evening — all you need to do is purchase admission to Exhibition Place to attend.
Parties
Clubs, bars and restaurants all across the city will be hosting Caribbean Carnival-inspired parties all weekend, often opting to play Reggae, Soca and Dancehall, or sometimes even featuring Mas Bands of their own.
Heating things up right in the centre of the action, Acqua Supper Club on the Exhibition Grounds will be hosting Topless, the biggest Caribbean Carnival party in the city on Thursday, Aug 1.
Banawave at Nomad Nightclub and Glow at The Garrison are two other essential Toronto Caribbean Carnival parties happening the following day on Friday, Aug 2, and are the perfect way to get in the spirit before the weekend really picks up.
After the parade on Saturday, Aug 3, head to Lavelle's Carnival Splash Day Party to cool off with a dip in the pool or keep your sweat up by dancing the rest of the night away.
That's just a small picture of all of the parties happening in the city this weekend. Visit our events page or the Toronto Caribbean Carnival website for more ideas of places you can party it up this weekend.
If you're looking to really make the most of your Toronto Caribbean Carnival weekend, you can purchase nightlife passes through the festival's website which start at $90 and grant you access to a number of parties and events happening across the city.
You can celebrate Jamaican patties in Little Jamaica this weekend. Photo by Hector Vasquez.
Food and Drinks
It's no secret that, perhaps second to music and dancing, fantastic food is a central pillar of Caribbean culture, so it should come as no surprise that there are a couple of independent food festivals happening adjacent to Toronto Caribbean Carnival to celebrate island cooking.
Head to Reggae Lane in Little Jamaica (1531 Eglinton West) on Saturday to participate in a celebration of one of the city's most cherished dishes; the noble Jamaican patty at their second annual Toronto Patty Fest.
You'll be able to fuel up on offerings from some of the GTA's best patty purveyors, like Brampton's Patty Genius.
At St. Lawrence Market, Taste the Caribbean will also give you the chance to sample a slew of dishes and flavours from all across the Caribbean, brought to you by local vendors and artisans.
Looking for the best in Caribbean food in Toronto beyond these two festivals? Here are some handy guides:
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