Ginger beer, jerk chicken, scintillating soca and calypso rhythms and great family fun return to North Vancouver

 

 

The Trinidad and Tobago Cultural Society of BC (TTCSBC) Caribbean Days Festival (CDF), will be celebrating 25 years of bringing Caribbean rhythms, flavours and culture to Metro Vancouver residents on Saturday, July 28 and Sunday, July 29 (10 am to 7 pm both days) at Waterfront Park in North Vancouver.

Each year, over 60,000 people from across Metro Vancouver venture out to the park which is just off the Seabus Terminal, to take in live Caribbean and multi-cultural music, dance performances, arts and crafts, food and fun children’s activities making this free two-day event one of the largest annual cultural events held in BC.

Parade group participants will be showing off their traditionally handmade and artfully crafted costumes. “Some of the groups start making costumes early in the spring, putting in a tremendous amount of work and volunteer effort to determine costume themes and source the funds, resources and space needed to create their colourful masterpieces,” said Manchan Sonachansingh, TTCBC President and CDF Committee Chair. “We’re really proud of how the parade is evolving - providing a glimpse into what real Carnival can be like in the Caribbean.”

The multicultural parade on Saturday, July 28 will feature 30 participating cultural groups and the boat cruise will be on July 22nd.

This year’s carnival features a special live artist direct from Trinidad & Tobago, Soca Chutney King, Rikki Jai – performing for the first time in British Columbia.

“We are so excited to bring Soca Chutney King, Rikki Jai to the Outdoor Dance, let alone western Canada. We rarely get Caribbean artists of this calibre into Vancouver and this is one opportunity you don’t want to miss”, explained Manchan.

“You will get a great mix of Calypso, Soca, Dancehall and Reggae at the event but with the Soca Chutney that Rikki Jai performs you will also get to experience a true fusion of the African and Indian musical heritage that is unique to Trinidad and Tobago and other parts of the Caribbean.”

Waterfront Outdoor Dance Featuring Soca Chutney King Rikki Jai

Saturday July 28, 2012, 7:30 pm – 1:00 am at Shipbuilders Square, North Vancouver

Tickets: $30

 For more information about the festival and associated ticketed events visit  www.caribbeandays.ca and for information about the TTCSBC visit www.ttcsbc.org.