Carifiesta

Carifiesta (French: Carifête) is an annual Caribbean Carnival held in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. It was established in 1974, and is held in July.[1] The event is coordinated by the Caribbean Cultural Festivities Association, a nonprofit organization. Carifiesta was established prior to some Carnivals that take place in the Caribbean, Cayman Carnival Batabano for example.

Carifiesta
Formation1974
TypeCultural festival
Legal statusActive, non-profit
PurposeCelebration of Caribbean heritage
HeadquartersMontreal, Quebec, Canada
Official language
English, French
Parent organization
Caribbean Cultural Festivities Association
Volunteers
40
WebsiteCarifiesta
2011 Carifiesta parade at the corner of René Lévesque Boulevard and Guy Street.

The main feature of the carnival is a parade along Saint-Catherine Street with people representing various countries in the Caribbean. Flatbed trucks carry disk jockeys playing turntables. Soca music and calypso music are played on speakers. The participants in the parade, dressed in colorful costumes, wave flags, blow whistles, and dance.[2] Carifiesta has been named the largest North-American Running Caribbean Street Parade.[3] culture, music, art, and Carnival costumes.[3]

In 2010 the parade was cancelled due to conflict, as Henery Antoine and Everiste Blaize disputed how and by whom the parade should be organized. The two promoters were not able to resolve their differences and work together. Several years later they were still unable to come to terms. In 2013 Blaize was again in conflict with Matthew Veloza of the group Montreal Carnival Vibration. Issues arose when their float broke down and no one from the Caribbean Cultural Festivities Association took responsibility to resolve the issue.

[4] Carifiesta does not celebrate any singular Caribbean culture, rather it is meant to celebrate them all coming together.[4] The carnival celebration is simply just "Caribbean" in nature. Many Caribbean people or people of Caribbean descendants find that Carifiesta is a way for them to celebrate their heritage away from home.

Junior Parade

A Carifiesta junior carnival, for kids aged 2 to 16, is held one week prior to the main parade, and is intended to introduce children to Caribbean culture. The day after the main parade, is the Carifiesta Cooldown, held at Parc Jean-Drapeau, which is a family oriented event featuring performances by local and international guest artists.[4] 2017 will be the 5th year that the junior carnival has taken place. The parade officially begins at noon, at the Bill Durnan arena, and ends at Van Horne Park.[5]

Costumes

The costumes worn at Carifiesta are similar to those of other Caribbean Carnival celebrations. They are designed to show a lot of skin and feature bright colors, beading, and exotic headdresses. Women will typically be seen in bikini-style outfits, covered in gems, beads, and sequins, and adorned with feathered headdresses to match. Male costumes consist of decorated, and colorful shorts, paired with beaded neck pieces.[5] Costumes at Carifiesta vary from the typically skin-bearing costumes, some people will wear costumes with a more obvious theme that will offer more coverage. Some dress in apparel that comes from the era in which their ancestors were enslaved, to call attention to their heritage. Since 2014 there have been more carnival bands doing Jab Jab throwing, oil, mud, paint, ink like its J'ouvert.

References
  1. Burnett, Richard (July 7, 2011). "Roots of Carifiesta: Hard at work in Montreal's Roots mas camp". Montreal: The Gazette. Archived from the original on April 18, 2013. Retrieved July 8, 2012.
  2. Hinkson, Kamila (July 8, 2012). "Carifiesta winds its way through 37th year". Montreal: The Gazette. Archived from the original on July 13, 2012. Retrieved July 8, 2012.
  3. "CARIFIESTA 2016 – Montreal's Official Caribbean Carnival Street Parade & Festival! Le Grand Carnaval De Montréal 2016". www.canadianfestivalguide.com. Archived from the original on March 28, 2017. Retrieved April 21, 2017.
  4. "Carifiesta: Montreal's Chief Carnival Parades July 8". About.com Travel. Retrieved April 21, 2017.
  5. "Carifiesta | Parade 2016". carifiesta.com. Retrieved April 21, 2017.
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