Another successful carnival!

By RON FANFAIR
Tribal Carnival captured the Band of the Year title at this year’s Toronto Caribbean Carnival at Exhibition Stadium.
Saldenah Carnival was the runner-up ahead of Toronto Revellers and Carnival Nationz.
The Toronto Transit Commission (TTC) led off this year’s parade with ‘A Bachannal Bus’.
“We participated for the first time last year and loved it,” said Andrea Valente, the Wilson Division bus transportation manager. “We doubled the numbers this year and got a flatbed truck which our employees set up with the decorations. We are Toronto’s transit system and we wanted something for ourselves to show we represent the city too. We are very appreciative of our management that supported us.”
Chief Executive Officer Rick Leary and Michelle Jones, the head of Renewable Energy, joined employees in the parade.
Eava-Kay McKnight has played mas’ for the last six years with Saldenah Carnival.
“It is the only band I have played with,” the Ontario Bar Association’s professional development & human relations coordinator said. “They are very creative; the quality of the costumes is excellent and they last long. In addition, they consider that many players are plus size. The costumes are comfortable and accentuate the body’s best parts.”
Pan Fantasy won the Pan Alive steelpan competition for a 10th straight time, edging out Pan Masters by one point. A total of 14 bands competed in the event.
Henry ‘Cosmos’ Gomez captured the Calypso title, his second after lifting the title in 1995.