Metro Police to Play Mas with kids from Jane and Finch

Metro Police to Play Mas with kids from Jane and Finch

Will open Mas Camp for kids

2^nd floor, Yorkgate Mall

Monday May 31^st, 11:00 am

Toronto, ON, 27.05.2010: Senior Officer Superintendent Sam Fernandez from 53 Division will be officially opening the Metro Toronto Police Force’s Mas Camp for Children on Monday May 31^st at the Yorkgate Mall (Finch Avenue East at Jane St). He will be joined by children who are at the camp to learn how to make mas (masquerade) costumes for this summer’s Scotiabank Caribana/Yorkgate Mall Junior Carnival Parade. Brittany Dardaine, a teenage pan artiste will be performing at the event.

In addition to the children and Sam Fernandez members of the Toronto Mas Band Association, including NBA player Jamaal Magloire will be in attendance. Master costume designer Walter Elliott will be demonstrating to the children how to make costumes for the July 17^th parade down Jane Street.

Scheduled to speak briefly at the Festival Management Committee morning event are:

· Superintendent Sam Fernandez

· Walter Elliott, master costume designer

· Denise Hererra-Jackson, co-chair - Scotiabank Caribana

· John Kam, Toronto Mas Band Assocation

· Teenage pannist Brittany Dardaine will perform

The Scotiabank Caribana Festival is an exciting three-week cultural explosion of Caribbean music, cuisine, revelry as well as visual and performing arts. Now in its 43^rd year, it has become a major international event and the largest cultural festival of its kind in North America. As Carnival is an international cultural phenomenon, the great metropolis of Toronto and its environs will come alive as the city explodes with the pulsating rhythms and melodies of Calypso, Soca, Reggae, Chutney, Steel Pan and Brass Bands. The Festival Management Committee oversees the running of North America’s largest outdoor festival.

Corporate sponsors of this year’s festival include: Scotiabank, The Toronto Star, Sway Magazine, Eye Weekly, CTV, CP-24, The Canadian Federal Government, The Province of Ontario, the City of Toronto, Tourism Toronto, Research In Motion (RIM)/BlackBerry, The Greater Toronto AirportsAuthority, Ontario Place, the Royal Ontario Museum, the Ontario Science Centre, The Toronto Libraries, Yorkgate Mall, Liberty Grand, Caribana Arts Group and Grace Kennedy Foods.

This year the Official Launch for the Festival will take place at 12 Noon on Thursday July 15^th. The Scotiabank Caribana/Yorkgate Mall Junior Carnival Parade will be held on Saturday July 17^th from 11am to 4pm. The adult parade will be staged Saturday July 31^st; 10 am to 6 pm. For complete listing information, visit www.caribanafestival.com the only official website for the Festival.

Scotiabank Caribana 2010 Festival Office is located at 263 Davenport Avenue. Lower Level, Toronto, Ontario, Canada: Tel., 416-391-5608; Fax, 416-391-5693; Email: info@caribanafestival.com