If you know me, you know that there is one festival in Toronto that I love: Caribana (July 15 to August 2). It’s a part of my Caribbean culture and I love the music, the dancing, the steel pan — it’s the islands taking over Toronto for a couple of weeks. I’ve been impressed over the past few years at some of the non-traditional events that Caribana has put on including the From the Soul art exhibition held at the Royal Ontario Museum (ROM).

Folks, to get a group of Black artists of Caribbean descent into the Royal Ontario Museum is big. It’s serious. It’s major.

This is one event that I make sure to attend each year — it’s helps that my girl Angela Haynes is a talented artist who showcases her work there. While the Caribana parade is a good time to people watch, hear some great tunes and have fun basking in the sun and I thoroughly enjoy that part of the Caribana celebrations, events like the art exhibition, the steel pan and King and Queen competitions showcase more of the culture of Caribbean rather than just jumping up and waving yuh flag on the street.

This year, the From the Soul art exhibition is being held from July 22 to August 2 and, if you’re a Torontonian or if you’re going to be in town for Caribana this year, take some time and check it out at the ROM. Here’s video from last year’s event (the art exhibit portion starts at about 2:35).

Get details about everything that’s happening for Caribana here. Hope that I see you on the road — or at the art exhibit 🙂