Toronto “Jumps Up” And Gets Into The Island Spirit
Posted July 31, 2010 9:02 am.
This article is more than 5 years old.
More than a million people were expected to jam Toronto’s streets Saturday for the 43rd annual Scotiabank Caribana Festival.
The celebration of food, music, island spirit and all things colourful has grown tremendously since its early days.
It’s now the largest cultural festival in North America, bringing in an estimated $350 million dollars each year.
The 2010 Caribana parade includes 50 bands. The early years saw only four or five.
But last-minute funding trouble almost put the event in the black. Organizers were facing a deficit after the federal government $400, 000 in funding.
Staff had to make deep cuts, including a 30 per cent pay cut. But on Thursday, with the help of the provincial government, a partner stepped up to help with the money troubles and the event was back on track.
The parade kicked off at Exhibition Place and made its way west along Lake Shore Blvd W to Parkside Dr.
Lake Shore Blvd. W is closed eastbound from Colborne Lodge Dr. to Strachan Ave. as well as westbound from Strachan Ave. to Parkside Dr.
