This year’s Toronto Caribbean Carnival has been cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic, organizers say.
“The Board of Directors of the Festival Management Committee has decided that due to the continued developments concerning the spread of COVID-19, the severe public health threat, and global health crisis, the month-long events held in July-August is cancelled,” organizers said in a statement on Wednesday evening.
The carnival, formerly known as Caribana, joins the list of city events to cancel due to the ongoing coronavirus crisis.
Last month, the city announced it is cancelling permits for all major events and festivals through June 30 to the pandemic. Among the events affected by the announcement include the Toronto Pride Parade, which attracts hundreds of thousands of people to the city each year.
Organizers said attending the events, which include the Grand Parade, poses a risk to contract and spread the virus. The cancellation was made in consultation with the event’s stakeholders.
“It is therefore unanimous that the priority must be the health and safety of our patrons and having weighed all these considerations, there is no choice but to cancel this year’s festival,” organizers said.
A non-traditional celebration of the carnival will take place on the weekend of August 1 should the situation change in the upcoming months, organizers said.
