Caribana Hits the Street

flashy
Originally uploaded by 416style.

Can't believe I'd never seen the Caribana parade before, and it's not too far from where I live. So I took my mum and my little pup and went for a stroll down to the lake. The first few floats were not what I expected. First was a cop caravan, the next something corporate, but then the throngs of people started to fill up the street. Many were part of large groups: gospel choirs with live vocals, Falun Dafa or AIDS activists telling the crowd to keep it alive. Some floaters had already lost their energy (too much heat?) while others were happy to get right up in my camera's lens.

I didn't see many of the brilliant outfits I'd grown to expect but it was still great to see everyone come together in celebration, even if that celebration had to come with some kind of political message. I'd even thought I should've planned something, a protest to the anticipated Lakeshore parking lot proposed beside the Palais Royale. I wonder how many in the crowd, finding refuge under the giant willows knew that the 100 year old trees may soon be torn down. It's gonna be hard to keep our cool if that happens.