Island Soul Festival (Aug. 3-6, 2012) at Harbourfront

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Reggae rhythms, calypso melodies, Caribbean dance and Jouvay parades come together at Harbourfront Centre’s exhibition of Caribbean culture

TORONTO, ON -- –Harbourfront Centre’s Island Soul Festival, presented by CIBC (Aug. 3-6), is a three-day cultural explosion of Caribbean arts and revelry that highlights the contributions of local and international Caribbean artists.

This year, Island Soul delivers a world-class celebration of Caribbean culture with special events to commemorate Jamaica and Trinidad & Tobago’s 50th Anniversary of Independence and to showcase the kaleidoscope of cultural and artistic traditions found throughout the island nations.


 Island Soul Festival highlights include:

• A Jamaican 50th concert featuring current Wailers’ frontman and rising Jamaican reggae star Duane Stephenson; a Tribute to the Grandmaster Calpypsonian Lord Kitchener, one of Trinidad’s foremost calypso musicians; and a bashment party with Jamaican dancehall deejay Admiral Bailey;
• A Jump for Jamaica Dance choreographed by Kevin A. Ormsby to celebrate the milestone of Jamaica’s 50th anniversary of independence;
• Traditional dance, music and drama from Caribbean Folk Performers and Afro-Caribbean Drum and Dance Theatre
• A colourful ‘Ole Mas’ Jouvay Parade along the waterfront featuring traditional carnival costume characters with Theatre Archipelago;
• …And more!

"Island Soul festival has been a cornerstone of Harbourfront Centre's summer season for many years. It strives to capture the best artistic forms from across the Caribbean, North America and beyond and makes the connections back to its African roots,” says Melanie Fernandez, Harbourfront Centre’s Director of Community and Educational Programmes. “Over many years the best global artists have graced our stages during this event, so we are proud to have CIBC as a partner in supporting this legacy.”

“CIBC is proud to partner with the Harbourfront Centre – one of Toronto’s foremost community, arts and cultural gathering places – to present Island Soul this summer,” says Veni Iozzo, Senior Vice-President, CIBC Marketing and Strategy. “CIBC has a strong commitment to diversity and we are thrilled to be part of this weekend celebration of all things Caribbean.”

For additional information and complete event listings, the public may visit harbourfrontcentre.com/summer or call the Information Hotline at 416-973-4000. Harbourfront Centre is located at 235 Queens Quay West in the heart of downtown Toronto’s waterfront.

ABOUT HARBOURFRONT CENTRE SUMMER FESTIVALS
Harbourfront Centre is an innovative, non-profit cultural organization which provides internationally renowned programming in the arts, culture, education and recreation, in the heart of Toronto's downtown waterfront. Our summer festival season runs from Victoria Day weekend through Thanksgiving weekend, and features over 20 festivals and events that offer The World in One Place. For more information visit harbourfrontcentre.com/summer

ABOUT CIBC
CIBC is a leading North American financial institution with nearly 11 million personal banking and business clients. CIBC is committed to supporting causes that matter to our clients, our employees and our communities. We aim to make a difference in communities through corporate donations, sponsorships and the volunteer spirit of employees. In 2011, CIBC contributed more than $35 million to charitable and non-profit initiatives in Canada to support national, regional and local organizations www.cibc.com.

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