Caribbean Carnival
Encyclopedia
Caribbean
The Caribbean is a crescent-shaped group of islands more than 2,000 miles long separating the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean Sea, to the west and south, from the Atlantic Ocean, to the east and north...
islands annually.
The Caribbean's Carnivals all have several common themes all originating from Trinidad and Tobago Carnival
Trinidad and Tobago Carnival
The Trinidad and Tobago Carnival is an annual event celebrated on the Monday and Tuesday before Ash Wednesday.Carnival in Trinidad and Tobago is the most significant event on the islands' cultural and tourism calendar, with numerous cultural events running in the lead up to the street parade on...
, based on folklore
Folklore
Folklore consists of legends, music, oral history, proverbs, jokes, popular beliefs, fairy tales and customs that are the traditions of a culture, subculture, or group. It is also the set of practices through which those expressive genres are shared. The study of folklore is sometimes called...
, culture, religion
Religion
Religion is a collection of cultural systems, belief systems, and worldviews that establishes symbols that relate humanity to spirituality and, sometimes, to moral values. Many religions have narratives, symbols, traditions and sacred histories that are intended to give meaning to life or to...
,and tradition, not on amusement rides.
Carnival tradition is based on a number of disciplines including: "Playing Mas"/Masquerade; Calypso Music and crowning a Calypso King or Monarch; Panorama (Steel Band Competition); Jouvert morning; and a number of other traditions.
Canada
- "Caribe-Expo" - In the city of OttawaOttawaOttawa is the capital of Canada, the second largest city in the Province of Ontario, and the fourth largest city in the country. The city is located on the south bank of the Ottawa River in the eastern portion of Southern Ontario...
in Ontario, Canada. - "Carifête" - In the city of MontrealMontrealMontreal is a city in Canada. It is the largest city in the province of Quebec, the second-largest city in Canada and the seventh largest in North America...
in Quebec, Canada, typically 2–3 weeks before Toronto's Caribana. - "Scotiabank Caribbean Carnival Toronto" - In Toronto, Ontario, it draws close to a million visitors to the city. Formerly "Caribana", it is known as the best Caribbean carnival outside of Trinidad and TobagoTrinidad and TobagoTrinidad and Tobago officially the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago is an archipelagic state in the southern Caribbean, lying just off the coast of northeastern Venezuela and south of Grenada in the Lesser Antilles...
. - "Carnival" - In the city of HamiltonHamilton, OntarioHamilton is a port city in the Canadian province of Ontario. Conceived by George Hamilton when he purchased the Durand farm shortly after the War of 1812, Hamilton has become the centre of a densely populated and industrialized region at the west end of Lake Ontario known as the Golden Horseshoe...
, 1 week after Toronto's Caribana. - "Carifest" - In the city of CalgaryCalgaryCalgary is a city in the Province of Alberta, Canada. It is located in the south of the province, in an area of foothills and prairie, approximately east of the front ranges of the Canadian Rockies...
in Alberta, Canada. - "Cariwest" - Held annually the second week of August in EdmontonEdmontonEdmonton is the capital of the Canadian province of Alberta and is the province's second-largest city. Edmonton is located on the North Saskatchewan River and is the centre of the Edmonton Capital Region, which is surrounded by the central region of the province.The city and its census...
, Alberta, Canada, Cariwest boasts an amazing display of masqueraders in the main parade, and is a beautiful festival full of food and entertainment in the heart of downtown.
Caribfest- Barrie Caribfest is Canada’s second largest Caribbean Festival. It is held on the shores of Lake Simcoe in the beautiful city of Barrie.However, the activities extends throughout downtown Barrie as the costume wind its way through downtown streets, along Lakeshore Drive to Centennial Park, the location of the main stage.
This dynamic, exciting event features some of the best Canadian and international Caribbean performers in music, dance, costumes, and world drumming.
One of the unique attraction that distinguishes this Caribbean event is the location where it is held. People from the GTA have commented on the fact that they can jump up in the parade and at the end of the day jump in the lake to have a swim. This gives the event a unique Caribbean feel which has not been duplicated by any other Caribbean related event in Canada.
This dynamic, exciting event features some of the best Canadian and international Caribbean performers in music, dance, costumes, and world drumming.
Events are held from Friday to Sunday throughout every third weekend of August
France
- Carnaval Antillais de ColombesColombesColombes is a commune in the northwestern suburbs of Paris, France. It is located from the center of Paris.-History:On 13 March 1896, 17% of the territory of Colombes was detached and became the commune of Bois-Colombes ....
, every year late June. - Carnaval Tropical de ParisParisParis is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
, every year early July.
Germany
- Berlin, Karneval der Kulturen (Carnival of Cultures), every year in May (Whitsuntide weekend)
The Netherlands
- Rotterdam- "Summer Carnival" - Zomercarnaval, Every year in July. Each year there are more than 800.000 visitors.
United Kingdom
- Birmingham, "Birmingham International CarnivalBirmingham International CarnivalBirmingham International Carnival takes place biennially in August in Birmingham, England. It is a celebration of African-Caribbean culture, arts, food and entertainment.Caribbean style carnivals were held in Handsworth Park, Birmingham, from 1984 to 1994...
" - Isle of Wight
- Leicester, "Leicester Caribbean CarnivalLeicester Caribbean CarnivalLeicester Caribbean Carnival is an annual event, held in early August in Leicester, England.The community-organised carnival has been held annually since 1985 on the first Saturday in August, with a parade around the city of Leicester , culminating in an event on Victoria Park...
" - London, "Notting Hill CarnivalNotting Hill CarnivalThe Notting Hill Carnival is an annual event which since 1964 has taken place on the streets of Notting Hill, Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea , London, UK each August, over two days...
" - in Notting Hill located in Northwest London, - Leeds, "Leeds West Indian CarnivalLeeds West Indian CarnivalThe Leeds Carnival, also called the Leeds West Indian Carnival or the Chapeltown Carnival, is the longest running West Indian carnival in Europe, having been going since 1967. The carnival is held in the Chapeltown and Harehills parts of Leeds every August bank holiday weekend...
" - Sometimes referred to as Chapeltown Carnival; the oldest West Indian Carnival in Europe. - Nottingham "Nottingham Caribbean Carnival" - at the Forest Recreation Ground in Nottingham,
- Bristol "St Pauls CarnivalSt Pauls CarnivalSt Pauls Carnival is an annual African Caribbean carnival held, usually on the first Saturday of July, in St Pauls, Bristol. The carnival started in 1967 and is run by a non-profit organisation, St Pauls Afrikan Caribbean Carnival Limited...
" - Preston "Preston Caribbean Carnival"
United States
- Atlanta Carnival Atlanta, GA - Last weekend in May, usually falls on Memorial Day weekend
- Baltimore, MD - Baltimore Caribbean-American Festival held every July in Druid Hill Park neighborhood in Baltimore.
- Boston, MA - Last Saturday in August, Dorchester, MA
- Cambridge, MA - Cambridge Carnival InternationalCambridge Carnival InternationalThe annual Cambridge Carnival International festival uses the Trinidad and Tobago model to bring together Cambridge’s diverse community for a spectacular annual costume parade and celebration. This year’s festival features five entertainment zones in Kendall Square: two live music stages,...
, September 12 - Held in Kendall SquareKendall SquareKendall Square is a neighborhood in Cambridge, Massachusetts, with the "square" itself at the intersection of Main Street, Broadway, Wadsworth Street, and Third Street... - Chicago, IL - Chicago CARIFETE, Third Saturday in August, on the Midway Plaisance in the confines of the University of Chicago Campus.
- Austin, TX - Carnaval Brasileiro, February the 3rd
- Broward/Miami Caribbean Carnival Miami, FL - The second weekend in October, Columbus DayColumbus DayMany countries in the New World and elsewhere celebrate the anniversary of Christopher Columbus's arrival in the Americas, which occurred on October 12, 1492, as an official holiday...
weekend. - Houston, TX - Usually the weekend around Fourth of July.
- Long Island, NY - Weekend after Labor Day CarnivalLabor Day CarnivalThe Labor Day Parade , is an annual celebration held on American Labor Day , in Crown Heights, Brooklyn, New York....
- Held in HempsteadHempstead (village), New YorkHempstead is a village located in the town of Hempstead, Nassau County, New York, United States. The population was 53,891 at the 2010 census.Hofstra University is located on the border between Hempstead and Uniondale.-Foundation:... - Minneapolis, MN - CARIFEST - Usually held the third weekend of July along West River Road right next to the Mississippi River.
- New Orleans, LA - In November, the bayou Bacchanal is held on the first Saturday in downtown and Armstrong Park.
- New York, NY - Labor Day CarnivalLabor Day CarnivalThe Labor Day Parade , is an annual celebration held on American Labor Day , in Crown Heights, Brooklyn, New York....
- Held in Brooklyn, along Eastern Parkway, with over 2.3 million visitors annually - Orlando, FL - This is usually held the last weekend in May, which is typically Memorial Day weekend. Most recently been held at the Citrus Bowl.
- Seattle, WA - Pioneer Square, annual Fat Tuesday celebration.
- Tacoma, WA - PLU campus Carnival, near Fat Tuesday
- Tampa, FL - Usually held the beginning of June in St. Petersburg, FL (Greater Tampa Bay Area) at Vinoy Park. Recently moved for 2011 to Raymond James Stadium.
- Norfolk,VA - Virginia CaribFest,(2nd weekend in July)
- Washington D.C. - DC Caribbean Festival , usually between June 16–24 every year.
- Charleston Carifest, Charleston, SC. Third weekend in June (a week before DC Caribbean Festival).
See also
- Trinidad Carnival
- CARIFESTA
- CaribbeanCaribbeanThe Caribbean is a crescent-shaped group of islands more than 2,000 miles long separating the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean Sea, to the west and south, from the Atlantic Ocean, to the east and north...
- List of islands in the Caribbean
- J'ouvertJ'ouvertJ'ouvert is a large street party during Carnival in the eastern Caribbean region. J'ouvert is a contraction of the French jour ouvert, or dawn/day break....
- List of calypso musicians
- List of chutney musicians
- Mardi GrasMardi GrasThe terms "Mardi Gras" , "Mardi Gras season", and "Carnival season", in English, refer to events of the Carnival celebrations, beginning on or after Epiphany and culminating on the day before Ash Wednesday...
- Antigua CarnivalAntigua CarnivalThe Antiguan Carnival is a celebration of music and dance held annually from the end of July to the first Tuesday in August. The most important day is that of the j'ouvert , in which brass and steel bands perform for much of the island's population. Barbuda's Carnival, held in June, is known as...