![\"Me](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/alldayidreamoftravel.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/IMG_5021.jpg?resize=620%2C825&ssl=1\")
<\/p>\nDecked out in my carnival costume<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
Memorial day Weekend is the unofficial start of summer in the United States. For many, it\u2019s the kick-off to cookouts, beach days, and\u2026carnival season.<\/em><\/p>\n With the mother of carnivals, Trinidad<\/a> under our belts this year, masqueraders will soon be headed to St. Lucia, Grenada, and Barbados. If you hesitated to jump on airfares and accomodations, you may feel like you missed the boat (or plane). If you\u2019re Stateside, as\u00a0 I am, or in Canada, you should consider Toronto Carnival, formerly known as Caribana.<\/p>\n In the Caribbean there is Carnival Monday and Tuesday, plus J\u2019ouvert. In New York, J\u2019ouvert is the same day as the parade. Toronto Carnival is on a Saturday and there is no official public J\u2019ouvert celebration, though there are j\u2019ouvert fetes you can attend.<\/p>\n Toronto Carnival is the largest Caribbean festival in North America. The route begins at Princes\u2019 Gate at Exhibition Place, continuing down Gardiner Parkway and Lake Shore Boulevard on Lake Ontario\u2019s waterfront. This year\u2019s carnival runs Thursday, July 31st \u2013 Monday, August 4th, 2025. The grand parade (road march) will be on Saturday, August 2nd, 2025<\/p>\n Welcome to Toronto Pearson Airport<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Toronto Pearson International Airport (XYZ)<\/a> is about a 35 minute drive or train ride to Downtown Toronto. If you\u2019re coming from within Canada or the New York City area, you may fly into the tiny Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport (YTZ)<\/a> in Downtown Toronto, which is super convenient.<\/p>\n From Toronto Pearson International Airport:<\/strong> take a the Union Pearson Express<\/a> train directly to Union Station<\/a> or catch a ride into town.<\/p>\n From Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport:<\/strong> YTZ is on a small island and you\u2019ll need to take a 90 second ferry (seriously) ride across or a short walk via the pedestrian tunnel where you can catch a cab or light rail tram.<\/p>\n Toronto is a large city and has good public transportation<\/a>. The city\u2019s metro is extensive with a supplementary streetcar and bus system. Uber and Lyft are both widely available, as well as the Canadian Hovr<\/a> app. Downtown Toronto is very walkable and easy to navigate.<\/p>\n The official carnival and related events are held in Downtown Toronto. However, most fetes are in sections of Toronto like York and Scarborough, as well as suburbs like Markham and Pickering. Costume distribution is also typically in those areas further from the city center. While I\u2019ve personally used public transportation to get to these places, it is time consuming and impractical \u2014 just cab it instead. Keep in mind that traffic can be intense and on carnival Saturday, you may only be able to get within a few blocks of the route by car.<\/p>\n Carnival road march will be held in Downtown Toronto near Lake Ontario, so you\u2019ll probably want to stay closeby.\u00a0 I got an incredible deal two years ago at The Rex Hotel<\/a> on the hip Queen Street West, which has a Jazz and Blues Bar on the ground floor with nightly live shows. You may also consider using Airbnb or VRBO for a local experience. Some revellers did stay close to the airport in Mississauga or Etobicoke due to the cheaper accommodations, though you\u2019d spent more time and money travelling.<\/p>\n Here are some hotels to consider:<\/strong><\/p>\n Toronto: Multiculturalism is our identity. Diversity is our beauty.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Did you know that Toronto is the most diverse city in the world<\/a>? Coming from New York City, it was hard to believe anywhere could be more of a melting pot than here. But it\u2019s true. One of the things I love most about travelling and visiting a new city is trying the restaurants. The Greater Toronto area, as you may have already guessed, has a huge Caribbean community \u2014 and great Caribbean food. Take a walk around Eglinton West aka Little Jamaica, eat your way through Chinatown and Kensington Market<\/a>, or take a stroll down eclectic Queen Street West.<\/p>\n Unwind with a drink at Chubby\u2019s Jamaican Kitchen<\/p>\n<\/div>\n This year, about a dozen mas bands will be participating, ranging from small (up to 301 masqueraders<\/a>), medium (301-729), or large (up to ~3,000). If this is your first time on the road, a small or medium band may fit your needs.<\/p>\n Canadian law forbids mas bands from providing alcoholic beverages<\/a> to masqueraders; Toronto is technically a dry carnival. People do (discreetly and creatively) find ways to bring their own. Some mas bands offer tasty fruit punch that *definitely does not* <\/em>contain rum. Wink wink<\/em>. ; ) You\u2019ll likely receive a light breakfast, snacks like patties and granola bars, soft drinks and water, and lunch.<\/p>\n Instagram is the best way to find information on bands and updates regarding costume distribution schedules, meeting places, and general communications. With regards to local, many of the mas camps are at the periphery of the city, so plan your transportation situation accordingly, as public transportation may not be practical.<\/p>\n Along with local DJs<\/a> like Dr. Jay, D Enforcas, DJ Buzz B, and DJ Kevin, some New York City and the Caribbeans best, like Riggo Suave, Selectah Kerry, Barrie Hype, Kevin Crown, Ryan Sayeed, DJ JEL, Major Penny, One Gyal Army, and Freeze International will be on decks at fetes and on the road. Toronto Lime<\/a>, FETELIST<\/a>, Island Tickets<\/a>, and Ticket Gateway<\/a>, Frontline Ticketing<\/a>, CaribanaToronto.com<\/a> are good resources for buying tickets and information on fetes.<\/p>\n Official Toronto Carnival Events<\/strong><\/p>\n For more information, see the Toronto Caribbean Carnival official website<\/a>.<\/p>\n A vividly painted building on Toronto\u2019s Queen Street West<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Toronto isn\u2019t a touristy, per se. Still, it\u2019s a large city with a lot of culture to offer and a pleasant place to travel. Because of its diversity, you could spend several days just wandering through different neighborhoods, eating and drinking your way through. You\u2019ll find great street art all over the city and a walk along Lake Ontario is a must. Destination Toronto<\/a> is a great website to browse through for ideas.<\/p>\n If you\u2019re not ready to take the plunge yet and travel to the Caribbean, Toronto may just quell that carnival itch. If nothing else, it\u2019s a good excuse to hop on a plane and get to know a different city. Sound good? Get in the spirit with this 2025 Soca playlist<\/a>.<\/p>\nGETTING There and Around<\/h2>\n
![\"Toronto](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/alldayidreamoftravel.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/IMG_4842-scaled.jpg?resize=620%2C465&ssl=1\")
<\/p>\nFlying<\/h3>\n
Public Transportation<\/h3>\n
Where to Stay<\/h2>\n
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Where to EAT and Drink<\/h2>\n
![\"Toronto:](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/alldayidreamoftravel.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/IMG_4999-225x300.jpg?resize=225%2C300&ssl=1\")
<\/p>\nFor Caribbean Food<\/h3>\n
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For Great Views of the City<\/h3>\n
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Participating Mas Bands<\/h2>\n
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Fetes and Events<\/h2>\n
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Things to See and Do<\/h2>\n
![\"A](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/alldayidreamoftravel.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/IMG_4915-scaled.jpg?resize=620%2C465&ssl=1\")
<\/p>\nLike this:<\/h3>\n