Scotiabank Caribbean Carnival Toronto: MEDIA ALERT

Kids from Carnival Nationz helped out at the Children's Parade media preview

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CHILDREN'S CARNIVAL MEDIA PREVIEW - 150 KIDS IN COSTUMES, CALYPSO, PAN TOO.

DOWNSVIEW TUESDAY, JULY 2nd

MEDIA ALERT

SCOTIABANK CARIBBEAN CARNIVAL

JULY 1, 2013  (Toronto) On the morning of July 2^nd the media is invited to join Scotiabank Caribbean Carnival Toronto’s CEO Denise Herrera Jackson, local MPPs, city of Toronto councillors, and members of the Caribbean Canadian community for the releasing of important information about this year’s Junior Carnival/Family Day which will be held July 20^th at Downsview Park.   The festival will be releasing key information about major changes to the children’s parade route and the introduction of  a Junior Soca and Caylpso Showcase into the day-long event. For the first time also, there will be a Junior Steelband Showcase, sponsored by the Canadian Federation of Steelpan.

This outdoor media preview will be both colourful and visually exciting. Approximately 100 children in costumes (with signed model releases) from a dozen mas camps will be showing their new costumes for the first time!  There will also be Junior Calypso singers, a dance group and steelband performances.

The media preview will be held at Downsview Park near where the actual parade will take place.  The parade moved last year from Jane/Finch to Downsview because of traffic safety concerns and because of space limitations. This year over 2,000 children in mas costumes are expected to take part in the parade, making it the largest children’s carnival parade in North America. The Family Day Event follows the Parade until 8pm.

Who: Representative from two corporate supporters – Chevrolet and Scotiabank. Spokespeople from the Parade, MPPS, and councillors will speak at the press launch. Children in costumes will play mas for the cameras. Steel pan orchestra will perform. Calypso singers will sing!

When: 11.30 a.m to 12.30pm TUESDAY, July 2, 2013

Where:   35 Carl Hall Road, east of the John Drury Drive (within Downsview Park - enter on John Drury Drive - off Sheppard Ave W)

Stephen Weir
Stephen Weir & Associates | stephen@stephenweir.com
or sweir5492@rogers.com
2482 Yonge Street, Unit 45032, Toronto, ONT.
CANADA. M4P 3E3
Tel: 416-489-5868 | Cell: 416-801-3101
www.stephenweir.com

LAST YEAR - YOU TUBE VIGNETTE:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GlKFG-2IMaA&list=UUDzisKyJmzPIAV_bqLGZI8g&index=22

Stephen Weir

My own 20-minutes of fame - soon to be viewed by millions and millions of people

I HAVE APPEARED ON CAMERA TWICE, COUNTING TODAY (SEPT. 8)

It happened during the summer while I was standing with the police at a road closure baricade. It happened again today. I was in my car stopped on the road with my face hanging out the open window looking at the oncoming traffic. I know that I am soon to be seen by millions and millions and millions of people!
Google Map is in town and their green and white vehicle with its multi-directional cameras on the roof, is shooting street-by-street video images of the Greater Toronto Area to be used online on the popular Google Map web service.
For a number of years Google Maps has posted and shown video footage of most streets in downtown Toronto. This summer and fall they are expanding their coverage zone to include the burbs.
My Story
One warm Saturday morning in July I was standing near a police roadblock across the east end of Shoreham Drive near York University. The roadway was being used as a staging area for the Scotiabank Toronto Caribbean Carnival / Yorkgate Mall Junior Carnival Parade. I was with the police helping them politely tell motorists that they had to turn around and go back the way they came.
My stardom took place when I was standing at the side of the road taking a break when the Google Map vehicle came by. I was front and centre when it made a U-Turn and I was also on the street when it drove by at the end of the parade. The cameras got me many times. I waved. I smiled. I danced on the spot. I am marked for on-line fame!
Today, while pulling into the driveway of the McMichael Canadian Art Collection in Kleinburg, I stopped to allow a group of school kids to cross. My window was rolled down. Just as I was looking out the window the Google truck came by cameras firing. I winked at the camera For the second time fame stared me in the face!
Andy Warhol says we all get 15-minutes of fame. This website gives insight into stretching your own personal fame an extra five minutes (or so). Want fame and fortune? Stalk the Google Map Truck. Never mind that they will pixilate yout face and car plates ... it is all about being famous isn't it? E-mail me for your free unpixilated publicity picture and autograph!

Cutline: Google Map Truck Photo From Flickr

Statement from the Caribbean Carnival with regards to a fatal shooting this evening

A Statement from the Caribbean Carnival

The Toronto Caribbean Carnival is aware that a fatal shooting took place this evening near the Festival parade along Lakeshore Blvd. CEO Denise Herrera Jackson and CAO Christopher Alexander are both shocked and deeply saddened by the news of the lose of life.
"We are saying prayers for the injured and the dead," said Ms. Jackson. " Our festival is about love and community, and to have this happen so close to our event is devastating. We work so hard to make our event safe and family friendly, it is unthinkable that such a thing could happen."
The Toronto Caribbean Carnival held its annual parade today. The parade, which involved over 17,000 performers and musicians, officially ended at 6.20 with the announcement of the prize winners from the parade.
" The shooting occured about an hour after we closed up our operation," said Mr. Alexander. " Most of our staff had left the grounds when were heard the sirens. I went immediately to the site, but, was unable to learn very much about what occurred this evening. We have a very good relationship with the Toronto Police and we trust that details of the what occured today will soon be made public.
The Toronto Caribbean Carnival had over 250 security officers from 5-different firms (including Metro Toronto Police pay duty officers) working on the 4.5 km parade. The police cooporated very well with us to ensure that the parade was safe and successful.

For further information

Stephen Weir
4160489-5868

Media Alert Scholarships, Bus News, and Kids in Mas Costumes!

Scotiabank Toronto Caribbean Carnival/Yorkgate Mall Junior Carnival Parade previews 2011 event 2nd floor, Yorkgate Mall
Tuesday July 5th, 11:30 am
MEDIA EVENT WILL END BY 12.15 AT THE LATEST

Toronto, ON, 29.06.2011: The volunteer organizers of this year’s Scotiabank Toronto Caribbean Carnival/Yorkgate Mall Junior Carnival Parade will be staging a media launch at the Yorkgate Mall (Jane/Finch). 3+ Children in costumes, Politicians, Sponsors and Mas Bands will be at the Media Launch to update the media:

• Reasons for anticipated increase in attendance
• Parade and TTC Bus Route changes on Parade Day
• Scholarships for students in the Jane / Finch neighbourhood
• Children from two Mas Camps will model costumes (all have signed photo/video releases)
• Live Entertainment
• 11.30 am to 1.30 pm
The Parade will run Saturday, July 16th south along Jane Street. The parade begins at 11am at Black Creek Pioneer Village and ends at the Yorkgate Mall (Jane/Finch). There will be a huge party for the children in the Yorkgate Mall Parking Lot at the end of the parade.
The Scotiabank Toronto Caribbean Carnival is an exciting three-week cultural explosion of Caribbean music, cuisine, revelry as well as visual and performing arts. Now in its 44th year, it has become a major international event and the largest cultural festival of its kind in North America. As Carnival is an international cultural phenomenon, the great metropolis of Toronto and its environs will come alive as the city explodes with the pulsating rhythms and melodies of Calypso, Soca, Reggae, Chutney, Steel Pan and Brass Bands. The Festival Management Committee oversees the running of North America’s largest outdoor festival.
Corporate sponsors of this year’s festival include: Scotiabank, The Toronto Star, Sway Magazine, The Grid, CTV, CP-24, The Canadian Federal Government, The Province of Ontario, City of Toronto, Tourism Toronto, The Greater Toronto Airport Authority, Ontario Place, Royal Ontario Museum, Ontario Science Centre, Toronto Public Library, Yorkgate Mall, Liberty Grand, FLOW FM, The Caribbean Camera Newspaper, Toronto-Lime.Com, and Grace Kennedy Foods.
For complete listing information, visit www.torontocaribbeancarnival.com, the only official website for the Festival. Scotiabank Toronto Caribbean Carnival Festival Office is located at 263 Davenport Avenue. Lower Level, Toronto, Ontario, Canada: Tel., 416-391-5608; Fax, 416-391-5693; Email: info@torontocaribbeancarnival.com
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For further information, contact:

Stephen Weir
Stephen Weir & Associates
stephen@stephenweir.com
416-489-5868; 416-801-3101