Monday, 18 July 2011

Junior Carnival Parade Down Jane Street - Results



UNOFFICIAL RESULTS OF THE SCOTIABANK TORONTO CARIBBEAN CARNIVAL JUNIOR PARADE


Parade of the Bands

Rank Band Leader Band Theme Points
1. Jamaal Magloire, Toronto Revellers, Welcome to Oz, 261
2. Dexter Seusahai, Tribal Knights, Legends, 260
3. Marcus Eustace, Carnival Nationz, Mythical Creatures, 259

Male Individual

1. Jalen Gause, The Timid King, Jamaal Magloire/Toronto Revellers, Welcome to Oz
2. Maven Lee, Symphony of D’ Sea, Mark Deleon / Mas Toronto, Mas in Atlantis- A Carnival Mythology
3. Courtney St. Louis, Guardian of the Rainforest, Dexter Seusahai / Tribal Knights, Legends

Female Individual

1. Anastasia La Rose, Good Witch of the North Jamaal Magloire/Toronto Revellers, Welcome to Oz
2. Canisha Edwards, Lost Treasures, Dexter Seusahai/Tribal Knights, Legends
3. Sariah, Seon Jelly Jamboree – Shake and Wine, Mark Deleon / Mas Toronto, Mas In Atlantis A Carnival Mythology

Queen

1 Calena Seusahai, Cleopatra, Dexter Seusahai/Tribl Knights, Legends
2 Rebecca Martinez, Hope and Tranquility, Narisa Ali/Blues Carnival Fusion, Mirage of Drums
3. Shanisse Kaola Jackson, Arabian Dancer, Will Morton / Fantazia International, Come Dance With Me

King

1. Demeko Minott, The Gryphon, Marcus Eustace / Carnival Nationz, Mythical Creatures
2 Fabion Lee, Young King Neptune, Mark Deleon / Mas Toronto, Mas in Atlantis A Carnival Mythology
3 Ty Williamson, Tim Man, Jamaal Magloire / Toronto Revellers, Welcome to Oz

Friday, 15 July 2011

Kiddies Parade, Jane/Finch, 2,000 kids in mas costume, Saturday 11am, Yorkgate Idol too!

MEDIA ALERT

The Scotiabank Toronto Caribbean Carnival
2011 Yorkgate Junior Carnival Parade
11am Set to roll down Jane St. Saturday, July 16th


WHAT: 2011 Scotiabank Toronto Caribbean Carnival/Yorkgate Mall Junior Carnival Parade
Close to 2,000 children in Mas costumes.
WHERE: Parade starts at Shoreham Rd (Black Creek Pioneer Village). Travels south on Jane Street. Review stand at Driftwood/Jane. Ends at Yorkgate Mall Parking Lot for Party, Entertainment and Awards.
WHEN: 11am start at Shoreham Rd Ribbon cutting ceremony with
Judy Sgro MP York West and Mario Sergio MPP York West
1pm Yorkgate Idol ContestYorkgate NW parking lot
2pm expected end parade, Yorkgate NW parking lot
2.30pm – 4pm Kid’s party and awards.
Yorkgate NW parking lot

WHY: Bringing the traditions of carnival to Jane/Finch. Also referred to as Kiddies Carnival, it comprises masqueraders (or mas) players/dancers who range in age from toddlers to teens; many of who go on to play in the main Carnival parade when they become adults. And just with adult bands, each junior band must portray a theme suitable of the Carnival masquerade tradition. Competition titles up for grabs include: Junior Band of the Year; Jr. King of the Bands; Jr. Queen of the Bands; Jr. Male Individual of the Year; and Jr. Female Individual of the Year.
NOTE: The TTC will be operating a special bus service during the Saturday Parade which will drops passengers off on Jane St. within site of the review stand. The 108 Downsview Bus will be short-turning at Jane throughout the parade.

Yorkgate Idol is an exciting grade 9 to 12 youth talent singing competition with a mix of Rhythm and Blues (R n B), Reggae, gospel and other forms of music. The live show will be held in the parking lot at 1 pm. Yorkgate Idol is a spectacular event that brings together youth, businesses, professionals, organizations and community residents together through arts and culture for community development.
For further information, contact: Stephen Weir, Stephen Weir & Associates stephen@stephenweir.com416-489-5868; 416-801-3101
PICTURE: Parade mask for Kiddies Parade

Wednesday, 13 July 2011

MEDIA PREVIEW OF SCOTIABANK TORONTO CARIBBEAN CARNIVAL ART SHOW AT THE ROM (Media Only)

You are cordially invited to the MEDIA PREVIEW for:
Toronto's Carnival: Festival Photographs from 1967 to Today


MEDIA PREVIEW

Thursday, July 14, 2011, 10:00 am
Royal Ontario Museum
100 Queen’s Park, Toronto, ON

RSVP required - best to email me asap
416.586.5529 or mediarsvp@rom.on.ca
Enter via the Bloor St. W. entrance of the Michael Lee-Chin Crystal
Doors open at 10:00 am.
Public Opening: Saturday, July 16

Friday, 8 July 2011

Big Route Change for the Big Parade. Tuesday July 12 presser with entertainment and costumes. City Hall Noon

MEDIA ALERT

STILL JUMPIN’ – THE LAUNCH OF THE SCOTIABANK TORONTO CARIBBEAN CARNIVAL, NATHAN PHILLIPS SQUARE
Tuesday, July12th 2011
Noon – 2pm


Official Launch for the Carnival at Nathan Phillips Square
Provincial Minister of Tourism and Culture – Michael Chan
Big Changes To The Big Parade to be Announced
Mas Dancers, Calypso Performers, Soca Music and More

LATE BREAKING BULLETIN - I HAVE BEEN TOLD THAT RUNNER LERONE CLARKE WILL BE AT THE KICK-OFF TODAY Lerone Clarke AT NATHAN PHILLIPS SQUARE

What: 2011 is kicking off the 3-week summer festival at Nathan Phillips Square. The NOON HOUR launch showcases the many events that will entertain and energize Toronto. Speeches. Musical performances. Dance troupes and dancers in Mas costumes. Calypso singers. Soca music. Pan orchestra.

Location Note: The launch is at City Hall NOT the David Pecaut Sq as previously announced

Why: Scotiabank Toronto Caribbean Carnival is an important tourism event. It annually brings hundreds of thousands of tourists into the city. This year, the parade route is being changed!!
Announcement on Tuesday. New Media Partner to be announced. New events to be announced.
Who: Scheduled to speak – The Honourable Michael Chan, Councillor Joe Mihevc and festival CFO Chris Alexander. Other dignitaries will be announced soon
When: Media tent opens at 11.30am. Last chance for media to register for the big parade.
Speeches 11.59 am to 12.30 pm. A cavalcade of entertainment until 2pm.
Where: Nathan Phillips Square. Queen Street -- Toronto City Hall.
How: All media are welcome to cover the event. www.torontocaribbeancarnival.com. The public is encouraged to attend this FREE EVENT

PICTURED: 2010 Parade - by Layton Wang-Wu


-30-

Media Contact

Stephen Weir, Publicist Craigg Slowly, Publicist
stephen@stephenweir.com craiggslowly@hotmail.com
Toronto Office: (416) 489-5868
Cell: (416) 801-3101

Stephen Weir Publicity Campaigns: Installation of Ivan Eyre’s Monumental Bronze Sculptures

Stephen Weir Publicity Campaigns: Installation of Ivan Eyre’s Monumental Bronze Sculptures

Wednesday, 6 July 2011

Junior Carnival Parade kicked-off at Yorkgate Mall - Jane Fnch.

Major change for the location of the review stand
The Scotiabank Toronto Caribbean Carnival
2011 Junior Carnival Parade
Set to roll down Jane St. Saturday, July 16th



Toronto, ON: 05.07.2011: The volunteer organizers of the 2011 Scotiabank Toronto Caribbean Carnival/Yorkgate Mall Junior Carnival Parade are expecting a large auidence at this year’s parade, so much so that a major change has been made in the set-up of the annual event. This year, the judges’ review stand will be midpoint in the route, along Jane Street, allowing more spectators and parents to see the children perform before the judges.
For the past 10-years the bands have been judged at the start of the parade along Shoreham Drive (Black Creek Pioneer Village). The parade will still start on Shoreham Drive but the review stand will be about half way along the route which travels from Shoreham to Jane, ending in the parking lot of the Yorkgate Mall (Jane & Finch).
”We are expecting close to 2,000 children this year,” explained organizer Greta Best. On Shoreham Road there isn’t the room to accommodate all the spectators. By moving the reviewing stand to Jane Street literally thousands and thousand of people can see the kiddies performing their routines in front of the judges.”
The TTC will be operating a special bus service during the Saturday Parade which will drops passengers off on Jane St. within site of the review stand. The 108 Downsview Bus will be short-turning at Jane throughout the parade.
Traditionally held two Saturdays before the main Scotiabank Toronto Caribbean Carnival parade, the Junior Carnival Parade sponsored by Yorkgate Mall is highly anticipated by young Carnival masqueraders.
Also referred to as Kiddies Carnival, it comprises masqueraders (or mas) players/dancers who range in age from toddlers to teens; many of whom go on to play in the main Caribana parade when they become adults. And just with adult bands, each junior band must portray a theme suitable of the Carnival masquerade tradition. Competition titles up for grabs include: Junior Band of the Year; Jr. King of the Bands; Jr. Queen of the Bands; Jr. Male Individual of the Year; and Jr. Female Individual of the Year. The afore-mentioned costumes are more elaborate than those of the average band members, and most often, are built through volunteer efforts with the involvement of its actual young portrayer.
“The TTC will be oncea again offering bus service up to the middle of the parade route on Jane St. ,” says Greta Best, Event Manager of the Junior Carnival Committee, “to help spectators get up to see the parade and cheer the children on. But other than that, it will be the same wonderful parade it is every year. It really is a great opportunity for the younger set to enjoy their Carnival. The opening ceremony is at 10.45am, with the parade starting at 11am sharp. So we encourage everyone to come early so as to get a good spot along Jane Street see the mas.”
Children are asked to join their respective band at 9am in the assembly area located on Shoreham Drive off Jane, just south of Black Creek Pioneer Village. The parade will travel west on Shoreham Drive, past the judging point at 31 Shoreham Drive (in front of Shoreham Public School). The parade then turns south onto Jane Street where it will travel until Yorkgate Blvd. It will turn west on Yorkgate Blvd and travel south ending at Hullmar Drive. Once the parade is over, there will be entertainment, DJ music, food vendors, steelpan music and a market place in Yorkgate Mall’s car park.


Each band has three (3) marshals per twenty (20) masqueraders to ensure an orderly progress and good conduct along the parade route. A panel of five volunteer judges will adjudicate all bands using the following criteria: Visual impact (max. 20 marks); Authenticity (10); Creativity (20); Mas on the Move (10); Clarity of Theme (10); Presentation (20); and Craftsmanship (10) for a total of 100 marks. The order of merit is determined by discarding the highest and lowest score per participant. The judges’ decision is final, and is announced at the end of the parade.
Organizers of the event predict that there will be close to 2,000 children on the parade route. Parents wanting to get their children involved in the party should visit the festival website to find the address and phone number of a mas camp. Children register with the band and purchase a costume for the parade. Children don’t have to belong to any special club or culture to join in the fun. All are welcome.
The parade ends at the Yorkgate Mall (at the intersection of Jane St and Finch Avenue). Here the children will enjoy lunch, take in live entertainment and await the results from the parade. As well, the finalists of the Yorkgate Idol contest will be performing and the winner will be announced at the Junior Carnival post parade party.
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 the outdoor festival.
Corporate sponsors of this year’s festival include: Scotiabank, The Toronto Star, Sway Magazine, CTV, CP-24, The Canadian Federal Government, The Province of Ontario, the City of Toronto, Tourism Toronto,, The Greater Toronto Airports Authority, Ontario Place, the Royal Ontario Museum, the Ontario Science Centre, The Toronto Libraries, Yorkgate Mall, Liberty Grand, FLOW fm, Urbanology Magazine, The Caribbean Camera Newspaper, Toronto-Lime.Com, and Grace Kennedy Foods.
This year, the Official Launch for the Festival will take place at Noon on Tuesday July 12 at Nathan Phillips Square in downtown Toronto. The main parade will be staged on Saturday, July 30, 2011; 10:00 am - 6:00 pm.
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@caribanafestival.com
For further information, contact: Stephen Weir, Stephen Weir & Associates stephen@stephenweir.com416-489-5868; 416-801-3101

PICTURE INFORMATION): TOP Two types of head gear at the launch of the Scotiabank Toronto Caribbean Carnival. Three children from the Tru DYNASTY Mas Camp are wearing feathers while in back, PC Jen Francis wears a regulation Metro Toronto Police bike helmet. She works out of Division 31. Photo by George Socka.
MIDDLE: Scotiabank VP Christine Williams spoke at the Tuesday press conference. Photo George Socka

BOTTOM: Denise Herrera-Jackson, Festival CEO, also spoke at the press conference. Photograph by George Socka