The 29th annual Carlwest festival brought thousands of people to the streets of Edmonton recently.
The Caribbean culture event has become extremely popular over the years with its mix of food, music, and energetic dancing from both participants and spectators.
The parade started at Candace Tower at noon on August 10, and wound its way down 107th Street to 102nd Ave and Sir Winston Churchill Square. It was led by this year’s Miss Carlwest, who rode in style in a convertible.
Following her were dozens of colorfully decorated floats and hundreds of dancers who shimmied along to the lively tunes played by the strolling musicians. Many of the floats bore Banners which had been provided by local banner printing companies.
By the time the procession reached the square, many of the spectators had joined in and it was almost impossible to tell where the parade left off and the crowd began.
The weekend of events had a very multicultural flavor, and a theme of “Da’ Bouncin’ Song”, which is a very popular song in Trinidad and Tobago.
While the Carlwest festival isn’t quite the largest Caribbean street party in Canada, it has grown larger and more popular with each passing year. Brian Alleyne, who was the president of the festival from 1991 to 2000, noted that if community leagues were to become more involved, it might even grow to one day overtake Toronto’s event, which is the biggest in the world, and claim the top spot.
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