Beating Heart Of Toronto’s Caribbean Carnival Begins With A BIG BIG Saldenah Costume Launch.

BY STEPHEN WEIR

PHOTOS BY STEPHEN WEIR

When it comes to Carnival size matters. At last week’s Saldenah Carnival launch, the sheer number of people who crammed into a large hall illustrated the point that the Caribbean Carnival is still vitally important to the GTA.

It was a fashion show for the ages; they were revealing the costumes that will be worn on the parade route for the Caribana August 3rd parade. Organizers are reporting that 2,800 people came out for a post-midnight Mas costume show, with a record setting number of sections on stage. It all happened at the Scarborough Cinnamon Banquet Hall, where over 120 fancy, skimpily dressed male and female Mas models strutted and wined down a catwalk to preview the costumes that the Saldenah Mas band will be wearing in this summer’s grand carnival parade. The show started at 12.30 a.m. last Sunday morning and managed to end just before the bars closed at 2:00 a.m.

Saldenah Carnival, the largest, multiple winning Canadian band in the Annual Toronto Caribbean Carnival Grand Parade, is taking it all to heart in 2019.  Their theme is the Heart Beat: the Thrill of Life, and to keep the whole thing beating, 17 sections were needed to show all the costumes they will have on de road this year.

“ We expect to be making 6,000 costumes this season,” said Saldenah’s Hayden Harbin. “ There will be five trucks on the road with special guest stars on the floats (We hear that Trinidadian singer Nadia Batson is confirmed) so we needed, and got, a strong launch that night.”

“ We are talking large numbers.  There were 2,800 people in the hall,” he continued. “That wasn’t just the ticket holders. We also had 17 sections with at least six models in each. Add to that the Rhythm Section performing before the show started, all the Socasizers who performed, the deputy mayor Michael Thompson spoke and even (Caribbean singer) Iwer George came out on stage at the launch – so the numbers added up to a new record for us.”

One doesn’t usually see political types attending Toronto Carnival costume
launches, especially when the shows don’t get started until after midnight. It didn’t stop Deputy Mayor Michael Thompson – who happens to be the unofficial mayor of Scarborough – from coming by to kick-off the costume launch for the Saldenah Carnival. He spoke about the city of Toronto’s commitment, as well as his own commitment to the yearly festivity. This will be the 54th year that Caribbean culture is celebrated over the Simcoe Daylong weekend.

When the speeches ended and the stage was cleared, a non-stop cavalcade of highly skilled, well-rehearsed models danced and wined till closing. “ What is next?” asked Hayden? “We were touring a large Scarborough warehouse late last week.  We have to nail down the location of our camp ASAP. Expect an announcement (really soon)!”In the meantime, if you want to buy costumes and play Mas this year, you are invited to pay a visit to Saldenah Carnival Pop-Up. It will be happening from May 1st – May 3rd, for revellers inside the Krave nightclub (55 Nugget Ave, Scarborough).