New partners, events, dates and venues will help make the 41st
    anniversary of the festival a success

    TORONTO, April 21 /CNW/ - Scotiabank Caribana's Festival Management
Committee today announced the official summer program and list of new
corporate sponsors to participate in the 2008 Scotiabank Caribana, the largest
cultural festival of its kind in North America. The 2008 Program will include
new festivities as well as favourites of the past. In March, Scotiabank
celebrated a new multi-year partnership with the festival, resulting in title
sponsorship of the Caribana Festival.
    "If one looks at the median age of people living in Toronto, the vast
majority are too young to remember a time when there wasn't a Caribana
Parade," said Festival Management chair, Joe Halstead. "We have become a
national tradition. Thanks to the support of all of our sponsors, that
tradition will not only continue, it will grow and flourish!"
    This year is expected to surpass the celebrations of all previous years
and has added a number of new events which will take place throughout the
city. Many new sponsors have joined Scotiabank Caribana this year as 2008
celebrates the 41st anniversary of the festival. Included are title sponsor
Scotiabank, CBC, the Toronto Sun, the Royal Ontario Museum, Hudson Bay
Corporation, Grace Kennedy Foods, Westin Harbour Castle Hotel, State Farm
Insurance and the Liberty Grande.
    "Scotiabank Caribana makes our community richer as we celebrate the
diversity of this great city," said Christine Williams, Scotiabank District
Vice-President, Toronto East. "At Scotiabank, we continue to build our efforts
to meet the unique needs of Canada's diverse and multicultural communities by
engaging in partnerships with Western Union, sponsorships with Cricket Canada,
and given our extensive presence in the Caribbean, the importance of
Scotiabank Caribana to the City, our customers and employees - it is a natural
fit for us."
    Scotiabank Caribana's summer program includes a series of events
beginning with Luminat'eau: Carnival H2O (formerly Carnivalissima) on
June 13-15; COLOURblind International, Roots to Rhythm - a visual art
exhibition on July 24 - August 4; the Scotiabank Caribana Gala on July 25 and
will close with the Scotiabank Caribana Parade and De Caribana Lime-Island
Festival on August 2 and 3rd respectively. This landmark event is a key
tourist attraction for the City of Toronto and attracted more than 1.2 million
revellers last summer.
    This will be the third year that the annual event will be managed by the
Festival Management Committee (FMC). The FMC's core management team is still
in place with the addition of even more specialists unified by their passion
for success and culture.
    Scotiabank Caribana is a cultural explosion of Caribbean music, cuisine,
revelry as well as visual and performing arts. Launched in 1967 as a
Centennial Project, the world famous festival has become a major international
event and an expression of Toronto's multicultural and multiracial society.
The Festival is now celebrating its 41st anniversary. For more information,
please visit http://www.caribanafestival.com/events.html.

    Scotiabank is committed to supporting the communities in which we live
and work, both in Canada and abroad. Recognized as a leader internationally
and among Canadian corporations for its charitable donations and philanthropic
activities, in 2007 the Bank provided more than $43 million in sponsorships
and donations to a variety of projects and initiatives, primarily in the areas
of healthcare, education, social services and arts and culture. Please visit
us at www.scotiabank.com.

    SEE ATTACHED BACKGROUNDER: 2008 PROGRAMME OF EVENTS



    Backgrounder:

    2008 Programme of EventsI.    Luminat'eau: Carnival H(2)O (formerly "Carnivalissima")

          Friday, June 13 to Sunday, June 15, 2008 - Noon-6:00 p.m.
          Harbourfront

          Scotiabank Caribana is a participant in this event - a spectacular
          water-themed finale of the LuminaTO: Toronto Festival of Arts and
          Creativity produced by LuminaTO and Harbourfront Centre.

    II.   Calypso Tents Music Series

          Fridays, Saturdays & Sundays from June 13 to July 13, 2008
          8:00 p.m.-Midnight
          -   De Great Iron Pot, 55 Nugget Avenue, Scarborough
          -   Calypso City, 25 Cecil Street, Toronto

          This is an exciting annual showcase of Canada's best Calypso and
          Soca original music for the Scotiabank Caribana Festival. The
          series runs three nights each week (Friday-Sunday) at various
          venues in Toronto, each night featuring a different cast of singers
          and 'live' bands performing Calypso in its best storytelling
          tradition: social and political commentary, humor and wit.

    III.  Official Launch
          Tuesday, July 15, 2008 - Noon-2:00 p.m.
          Nathan Phillips Square, City Hall

          This official ceremony launches the activities for the 2008
          Scotiabank Caribana Festival Season. Patrons can meet and mingle
          with Federal, Provincial and Municipal officials, Caribana
          representatives and sponsors while sampling Caribbean and
          international cuisine. It is a snapshot of what's in store over the
          coming weeks.

    IV.   Junior Carnival

          Saturday, July 19, 2008 - 10:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m.
          Shoreham Drive/Yorkgate Mall

          Junior Carnival provides festival-goers and the surrounding
          community the opportunity to experience the thrills and joys as
          young masqueraders participate in their early festival years.

    V.    Art Exhibition

          Thursday, July 24 to Monday, Aug 4, 2008 - Noon-9:00 p.m.
          Royal Ontario Museum

          A Visual Art Exhibition - COLOURblind International - 'Roots to
          Rhythm' produced by the Association of African Canadian Artists. An
          intriguing collection of over 60 works that have been influenced by
          our journey will be on display.

    VI.   Scotiabank Caribana Gala

          Friday, July 25, 2008 - 6:30 p.m.-1:00 a.m.
          Liberty Grand - Exhibition Place

          An elegant evening of style and glamour celebrating Caribana and
          paying tribute to its pioneers. Proceeds from this event will be
          directed to a Caribana Foundation.

    VII.  'Kaiso 365' Calypso Monarch Finals

          Saturday, July 26, 2008 - 7:30 p.m.-1:00 p.m.
          Leah Posluns Theatre, 4588 Bathurst Street, Toronto

          This is where the Calypso Monarch is crowned. Come and see the best
          and biggest Canadian Calypsonians battle for the crown. From the
          topical to the lyrical, the sweet Soca rhythms will lift you out of
          your seat and get you moving.

    VIII. King & Queen Show

          Thursday, July 31, 2008 - 7:00 p.m.-Midnight
          Lamport Stadium

          On the Thursday evening before Caribana Day the Kings and Queens of
          the Bands meet to do battle. Like peacocks they will primp and
          preen, eliciting "oohs" and "aahs" from the audience. It is an
          honour for any participant to be enthroned the King or Queen of
          Scotiabank Caribana 2008. The King and Queen symbolically have the
          keys to the city, freedom of the streets. Their movements are
          supposed to be uninhibited. Band members and onlookers alike are to
          give them the respect, even if mockingly, usually accorded to real-
          life royalty.

    IX.   Pan Alive

          Friday, August 1, 2008 - 7:00 p.m.-Midnight
          Lamport Stadium

          A thrilling evening showcasing the musical and tonal qualities of
          the steelpan as members of the Ontario Steelband Association
          compete before a panel of judges. This Panorama of the North is the
          biggest opportunity to hear this wonderful instrument in all its
          glory. The evening is devoted entirely to the capturing rhythms of
          the steelpan.

    X.    Scotiabank Caribana Parade

          Saturday, August 2, 2008 - 10:00 a.m.-6:00 p.m.
          Exhibition Place (Lake Shore Blvd)

          This showcase event features an incredible display of colour and
          pageantry, commencing at Exhibition Place and proceeding west along
          Lake Shore Boulevard. Exhibition Place and Lake Shore Boulevard
          will come alive with the sights and sounds of Carnival!

    XI.   De Caribana Lime-Island Festival

          Sunday, August 3, 2008 - 10.00 a.m.-8:00 p.m.
          Olympic Island

          This event features a full day of performances from a variety of
          artistes, highlighting the diverse cultures of all the Caribbean
          people. Activities include a food competition, song, dance,
          theatrical drama and storytelling.