Amid concerns about tariffs, diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) and immigration fears in the United States, 1.3 million people from around the world took to Toronto, Canada, where there was colorful feathers, bedazzled costumes, loud music, and dancing for “Caribana” (July 31-Aug. 4), a celebration of culture and freedom.
While there are many celebrations across the Caribbean, West Indies and world that commemorate Aug. 1, 1834, when the British Parliament voted to end slavery across the empire, Toronto’s festival, since its start in 1967, has grown into a massive event, lasting days and featuring a parade and parties with a purpose.
“It’s celebrating us and Black independence and us becoming all together and having something better than what we had before,” said Shauntel O. Clarke, a Toronto resident with Jamaican roots.
Clarke, 23, woke up at 12:30 a.m. to begin doing makeup for a masquerade band celebrating a 40th birthday in the parade on Saturday, Aug. 2, part of the festival that started July 31 and concluded Aug. 4.
Her outfit was elaborate, bright and beautiful, featuring pink and purple wings spanning wide, with a perfectly matching sequined bikini and light pink crocs.
Many parade participants spend between $350 – $1,000 on costumes alone in the quest to be crowned queen or king of Caribana.
For Clarke, dressing up for Caribana is an opportunity to showcase her passion for aesthetics.
“I do make up for a living. So it’s pretty much what I’ve been doing since I’ve been young,” she told The Informer. “It’s just my fashion, my art and what I do.”
‘Canada Not For Sale‘
While Caribana is one of Canada’s biggest tourist attractions, often drawing more than a million visitors that enrich the local economy, some people noted that attendance did not seem as robust as in years past, citing concerns about immigration and hassles crossing the border back into the U.S. as possible reasons for lower participation.
Miles away from the Caribana celebration, Gloria Chafe, a 77-year-old school bus driver who lives in Ajax, a Toronto suburb, used her home as a form of protest against U.S. President Donald Trump and his policies.
On her front porch, a wire wreath reads “True North Strong & Free,” while another flag waving from a pole reads: “Canada–Not for Sale.”
She said she ordered the flag from Amazon when “Mr. Trump decided he was going to take us,” referring to the president repeatedly calling Canada “the 51st state.”
“I don’t want to bite my tongue, but Trump, ain’t getting us,” Chafe told The Informer. “It’s too bad that he didn’t get lost somewhere in space… He’s vindictive. I’m not going to say too much more about him because he might come after me.”
Chafe is encouraged that despite Trump’s threat, Canadians seem to be rallying together– including businesses. Area supermarkets are hanging signs announcing the local response to the tariffs, and there are stickers reading “proudly Canadian” affixed to locally-made products. Further, other stickers clearly indicate when products are impacted by Trump’s tariffs.
“People really seem unified around Canada, all the provinces, territories have all come together. We’re not giving up. We’ve had our battles over the years, wars and everything, and had them with the States, and we won,” she said. “This time, we are going to win. Canada is strong, and we’re going to stay free.”
‘No Tariffs’
Back on the parade route, Diana Grant bounced from side to side, arms in the air, cheering on the parade procession.
“No tariffs,” Grant said, giggling and raising her hands defensively.
A social worker, poet and self-described “senior” Grant attended the parade to showcase her cultural pride, donning an a hot pink body suit beneath denim shorts, bright, bedazzled, blue peacock and sequins around her neck and an umbrella hat with a red and white Canadian maple leaf flag.
“We love our food. We have our dance, our music, our culture. It’s a kind of unity. We welcome all. We welcome you here, [wherever] you are from. It’s one love,” she said. “We just came from different ships.”