by Gillian Downes

"Water good for 'de 'air! Water good for 'de body! Water good fe 'de bedroom," came the cry of a local vendor as he peddled bottles of water to thirsty revellers outside of the CNE where Caribana was being held this past August. To those familiar with the ritualistic sounds that signal the arrival of Toronto's Caribana parade, that habitual cry is all too familiar. 

Every August, Caribana brings more than a million visitors to Toronto to celebrate the West Indian heritage and culture of Canada and its people. Caribana, which was originally presented as a gift from Canada's West Indian community to celebrate Canada's Centennial year, has been held annually since 1967. Main events are run by the Caribbean Community, but many outside sources tend to cash in on the popular event, offering everything from fêtes to Caribana-inspired competitions held throughout the GTA.

A car show that consists of souped-up automobiles swaggering up and down Toronto's Yonge Street until the wee hours of the morning unofficially kicks-off the party segment of Caribana. Other more "official" Caribana events include the crowning of the Caribana King and Queen, a two-day festival held at Toronto's islands and a parade held especially for children.

From spontaneous street markets where entrepreneurial vendors sell anything that's edible, marketable and wearable, to impromptu parties that spring-up in neighbourhood backyards across the GTA, Caribana has made an impressionable mark on all who attend the annual "jump-up", including those who choose to bypass the parade and head straight for the afterparties. 

Though Caribana is an all-day affair that tends to send its followers home in the early hours of the evening, parade traffic - in the form of animated tourists eager to part with their dollars - typically spills into Toronto's many tourist-friendly neighbourhoods, often before the parade itself begins.

"We come for the parade and the fêtes," enthused 20-year-old Chantal Morgan as she cooled herself off with a glass of lemonade between floats. Morgan, along with a group of girlfriends, drove from Detroit to attend this year's Caribana. Like many others, Morgan speaks emphatically of the numerous fêtes held at Toronto nightclubs that manage to attract a crowd of revellers who, like Morgan, do not believe the festivities end when the parade does. In fact, some might argue that Caribana doesn't begin until the first fête has gotten well underway.

Still, despite Caribana's mass takeover of such an unassuming city, few dispute that anything is capable of outshining the parade itself. With the pulsating colours and intricate details of the featured costumes proudly displaying the lush vibrancy that is synonymous with the Caribbean, showmanship and mastery is the only way to describe the Caribana costumes.

Arguably, if the top prize goes to the costumes, then the music of Caribana is not far behind. Rhythms from many islands are sampled along the parade route; reggae from Jamaica, soca and its younger, livelier cousin Calypso heralds from Trinidad, and St. Lucia brings the beats of zuk. Other sounds include steelpan and, in a surprising edition, rap and R&B from Canada's neighbours to the south.

A rising trend at Caribana is the presence of American (musical) artists, who often show-up, surprising parade-goers with "impromptu" performances atop floats. This year saw multi-platinum artist Jay-Z perform before thousands of surprised onlookers. A few years ago, rap mogul Sean "P.Diddy" Combs roused parade-goers with his infamous ability to stir a crowd - not that Caribana attendees needed the extra help.

Each year promises bigger and better things, and with the ability to bring in more than $400 million in annual revenue to the city, Caribana shows the staying power of many things to come.