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Dancing in the street >> Carifiesta hits the road once again by SCOTT C
Before you grab a nice fresh piece of sugar cane and your towel and head down to Jump Up, there are a few things you should know. A lot of people don't even realize that the festivities surrounding Carifiesta are not confined to just the weekend of the Street Parade. Although this is often the highlight of the annual Montreal event, things go on all month leading up to that hot day in the street. Take for instance the Miss Carifiesta competition that took place at the Loyola campus of Concordia University on Sunday, June 6. This event attracted over 600 people who were on hand for the crowning of Gail Griffiths, Miss Carifiesta 1999, representing the isle of Haiti. I had been inquiring into the process of judge selection for this event but received no response before the actual day of the competition. Other competitions that happen every year include the King and Queen of the Bands, where all the biggest and the best costumes go head to head, as well as the Calypso Monarch Finals, which determine the best local calypso-maniacs of the year. All of these events are well-attended, but pale in comparison to the crowds that come out to watch and participate in the Street Parade. Approximately 150,000 people are expected to check out the parade, with more than 24 bands and their floats along the run of its course. Fans of the Trinidadian group 3Canal ("Talk You Talk") will be happy to know that they have a float in this year's parade, as well as Anslem Douglas ("Who Let the Dogs Out?"), Wayne Rodriguez ("Footsteps"), Square 1 with Alison Hinds, Steve Sealy, the Horizon Band and Starchild. This year, the parade will be traveling on Réne-Lévesque boulevard from Guy street, going east to Champ de Mars park for an outdoor celebration, but not without many, many stops to get down with the mobile jam in the street. Local favourites Jab Jab, Rake 'n' Scrape and others will be there to keep the party momentum up. Also on the 25th and the 26th, many of the bands featured in the parade will be performing at night at the at Bill Durnan Arena at 4988 Vézina avenue, metro Plamondon. There's always something going on during Carifiesta time if you feel like lifting your leg up, so don't limit yourself to just the parade. For more information call 735-2232.: |
Once again it's Carifiesta time in the city of Montreal! The only time of the year when the city gets flooded with out-of-town islanders, all kinds of people kicking their freshest summer gear, everybody and your mom with their drink in a brown paper bag, and all kinds of wining and sweating in the street.