ScotiaBank CARIBANA 2008 program schedule announced

Kin-Man Lee (Toronto Sun), Joe Halstead (FMC Chair), David Whitaker (Tourism Toronto)

Toronto, ON, Canada, Wednesday April 23rd, 2008 - ScotiaBank CARIBANA announced several exciting advancements for this year's festival in a press conference held at the ROM (Royal Ontario Museum) on Monday.

The FMC (Festival Management Committee) has garnered several new sponsors including CBC Television, the Toronto Sun newspaper, the Royal Ontario Museum, State Farm Insurance, Grace Kennedy Foods, Hudson Bay Corporation, Tourism Toronto, Westin Harbor Castle Hotel, Breyers Ice Cream, the Greater Toronto Airport Authority and the Liberty Grande. In addition, the Ontario government has stepped forward with a substantial grant worth $300,000 to further assist with the festival's 2008 promotion.

ScotiaBank CARIBANA's official kick-off date is slated for Tuesday July 15 at Nathan Phillip Square and the festivities will continue throughout the city up to Sunday August 3rd. The art exhibit previously held at the Distillery District will now be called "Roots to Rhythm: Caribana Art Exhibit" and will be hosted at the ROM. On Caribana Sunday (Aug 3rd) the annual post-parade music festival (held at Ontario Place in 2007) returns to Olympic Island. A full 2008 program schedule is listed below.

CARIBANA™ 2008 OFFICIAL SCHEDULE OF EVENTS

Luminat’eau: Carnival H2O (formerly “Carnivalissima”)
Friday June 13 - Sunday June 15, 2008; Noon - 6:00 p.m.
Harbourfront Centre
Luminato month long event closing at Harbourfront.

Calypso Tents Music Series
Fridays, Saturdays & Sundays from June 13 - July 13, 2008; 8:00 p.m. - Midnight
De Great Iron Pot, 55 Nugget Avenue, Scarborough | Calypso City, 25 Cecil Street, Toronto
This is an exciting annual showcase of Canada's best Calypso and Soca original music for the Caribana Festival. The series runs three nights each week (Friday Sunday) at various venues in Toronto, each night featuring a different cast of singers and 'live' bands performing Calypso in its best storytelling tradition: social and political commentary, humor and wit.

Scotiabank CARIBANA™ Official Launch
Nathan Phillips Square, City Hall
Tuesday July 15, 2008; Noon - 2:00 pm
This official ceremony launches the activities for the 2008 Caribana Festival Season. Patrons can meet and mingle with Federal, Provincial and Municipal officials, Caribana representatives and sponsors while sampling Caribbean and international cuisine. It is a snapshot of what's in store over the coming weeks.

Scotiabank CARIBANA™ Junior Carnival
Shoreham Drive | Yorkgate Mall
Saturday, July 19, 2008; 10:00 am - 4:00 pm
Junior Carnival provides festival-goers and the surrounding community the opportunity to experience the thrills and joys as young masqueraders participate in their early festival years

Roots to Rhythm - Art Exhibition
Royal Ontario Museum
Thursday July 24 – Monday Aug 4, 2008; Noon - 9:00 pm
A Visual Art Exhibition – COLOURblind International – ‘Roots to Rhythm’ produced by the Association of African Canadian Artists. An intriguing collection of over 60 works that have been influenced by our journey.

Scotiabank CARIBANA™ Caribana Gala
Liberty Grand – Exhibition Place
Friday July 25, 2008; 7:00 pm – 1:00 am
An elegant evening of style and glamour, celebrating Caribana and paying tribute to its pioneers. Proceeds from this event will be directed to a Caribana Foundation.

'Kaiso 365' Calypso Monarch Finals
Leah Posluns Theatre, 4588 Bathurst Street, Toronto
Saturday July 26, 2008; 8:00 pm - 1:00 am
This is where the Calypso Monarch is crowned. Come and see the best and biggest Canadian Calypsonians battle for the crown. From the topical to the lyrical, the sweet Soca rhythms will lift you out of your seat and get you moving.

King & Queen Show
Lamport Stadium
Thursday July 31, 2008; 7:00 pm - Midnight
On the Thursday evening before Caribana Day the Kings and Queens of the Bands meet to do battle. Like peacocks they will primp and preen, eliciting “oohs” and “aahs” from the audience. It is an honour for any participant to be enthroned the King or Queen of Scotiabank Caribana 2008. The King and Queen symbolically have the keys to the city, freedom of the streets. Their movements are supposed to be uninhibited. Band members and onlookers alike are to give them the respect, even if mockingly, usually accorded to real-life royalty

Pan Alive
Lamport Stadium
Friday August 1, 2008; 7:00 pm - Midnight
A thrilling evening showcasing the musical and tonal qualities of the steelpan as members of the Ontario Steelband Association compete before a panel of judges. This Panorama of the North is the biggest opportunity to hear this wonderful instrument in all its glory. The evening is devoted entirely to the capturing rhythms of the steelpan.

Scotiabank CARIBANA™ Parade
Exhibition Place (Lake Shore Blvd)
Saturday August 2, 2008; 10:00 am - 6:00 pm
This showcase event features an incredible display of colour and pageantry, commencing at Exhibition Place and proceeding west along Lake Shore Boulevard. Exhibition Place and Lake Shore Boulevard will come alive with the sights and sounds of Carnival!

De CARIBANA™ Lime — Island Festival
Olympic Island
Sunday August 3, 2008; 10:00 am – 6:00 pm
This event features a full day of performances from a variety of artistes, highlighting the diverse cultures of all the Caribbean people. Activities include a food competition, song, dance, theatrical drama and storytelling.