Toronto’s Harbourfront plays host to the inaugural Caribbean Vibrations Festival July 12 and 13. It’s a celebration of the region and its multifaceted culture, including music, dance, spoken word, food, and more in a family-friendly atmosphere.
“This festival has been years in the making,” says Alain P. Arthur, Executive Producer of Caribbean Vibrations TV, in a statement. “We’re proud to bring together the sounds, flavours, and stories of the Caribbean under one roof to celebrate our shared identity and community spirit.”
Performers
“This festival is a dream come true,” says Alain P. Arthur, Executive Producer and CEO. “We’re thrilled to bring Caribbean culture to life and connect with our amazing community.”
The lineup of performers includes prominent Canadian poet and spoken word artist Dwayne Morgan.
Dwayne Morgan: Spoken Word
Dwayne Morgan is a two-time Canadian National Poetry Slam Champion. Morgan formed his Up From The Roots entertainment company while still a Scarborough high school student back in 1994, at a time when “spoken word” wasn’t well known as an art form. Morgan successfully lobbied League of Canadian Poets to include performance poets as part of the Canadian poetry landscape.
He’s gone on to perform and produce large scale spoken word events across North America. Dwayne has performed across North America, in Jamaica, Uganda, Turkey, Trinidad, Bermuda, Barbados, England and Scotland, Ghana, and through Europe.
He’s appeared before for luminaries such as former President of the United States, Barack Obama, the former Governor General of Canada, Michaelle Jean, the late leader of the NDP, Jack Layton, has shared the stage with artists such as comedian Russell Peters, and opened for prominent artists like Alicia Keys.
Morgan has published 14 poetry collections, two children’s books, and a memoir, and has produced ten albums of spoken word art.
Morgan’s many accolades include a Toronto Arts Foundation’s Celebration of Cultural Life award (2022), and the Sheri-D Wilson Golden Beret Award for Career Achievement in the Spoken Word (2018). In 2013, he was inducted into the Scarborough Walk of Fame. Dwayne has also received the Harry Jerome Award for Excellence in the Arts.
He was appointed to the Order of Ontario in 2023.
In addition to his work as a poet and spoken word artist, his Three Knocks short film premiered at the Reel World Film Festival in Toronto. He’s produced two TV shows, and his one-man play, Grade 8, is featured on the CBC’s PlayMe Podcast. He’s also a photographer whose work has been featured in the Contact Photography Festival.
Music Artists
David Rudder
The Honourable David Michael Rudder OCC is a leading calypsonian from Trinidad. He’s the former lead singer for Charlie’s Roots, a brass band, and is considered a national hero in his native Trinidad and Tobago. He began his musical career at the age of 11 singing with a calypso band, and backup to legendary calypsonian Lord Kitchener. He received a Hummingbird Silver Medal from the Government of Trinidad and Tobago, and served as a Goodwill Ambassador to the United Nations Development Program.
Calypso originated in the 19th century in Trinidad and Tobago, characterized by its strong rhythms, harmonies, and clever lyrics, often featuring a sly sense of humour. It became an important mode of political expression, spreading across the Caribbean and beyond.
Ammoye
Born in Jamaica and based in Toronto, Ammoye is a seven-time JUNO Award nominee, most recently in 2023 for her sophomore album Water, which also received GRAMMY consideration. Her music, a fusion of reggae, soul, and dancehall, with an emphasis on virtuosic vocals, focuses on love and life with a lens of social justice and empowerment. In 2024, she was awarded Female Vocalist of the Year at the Reggae North Music Awards. Ammoye has performed across North America, in Europe, and South Africa.
Moses Revolution
Moses Revolution was founded in 2001 by Caribbean musicians living in Canada. Their music fuses various styles of the Caribbean for a unique island sound. They’ve performed a festivals and on stages across Canada, and have accompanied major Caribbean artists and others, including American Hall of Fame artist Percy Sledge.
Along with the performers, you’ll be able to keep dancing with a series of DJs, including soca pioneer Dr. Jay de Soca Prince, and SPEXDABOSS, host of Canada’s only commercial reggae radio show, The Riddim Track.
There’s a Kidszone of interactive activities, Caribbean-style workouts for those looking to exercise in the sun, a series of vendors offering authentic Caribbean cuisine, artisan crafts and more, and a ticketed rum tasting experience for aficionados of the islands’ iconic spirits.
- The festival is free to attend, with some ticketed events; details [HERE].
- Get tickets to the rum tasting [HERE].
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