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Did you know that Toronto is known for its diverse culinary scene? The city offers a wide range of international cuisines, reflecting its multicultural makeup. Toronto's neighborhoods are filled with restaurants, food markets, and food festivals that celebrate a variety of culinary traditions from around the world.

Did you know that Toronto is home to the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF)? TIFF is one of the largest and most prestigious film festivals in the world. Every September, the festival showcases a wide selection of films, attracts top movie stars and industry professionals, and offers film enthusiasts a chance to experience the magic of cinema.

Did you know that Toronto is home to the iconic CN Tower? Standing at a height of 553.33 meters (1,815 feet, 5 inches), the CN Tower was the tallest freestanding structure in the world when it was completed in 1976. It offers breathtaking views of the city and attracts millions of visitors each year.

Did you know that Toronto is often called "The Six"? The nickname "The Six" refers to the city's two overlapping area codes, 416 and 647, and was popularized by rapper Drake, who hails from Toronto. The term has become a part of the city's cultural identity and is often used as a shorthand name for Toronto.

Did you know that Toronto is the largest city in Canada? With a population of over 2.9 million people, it is the most populous city in the country. Toronto is a major economic and cultural hub, known for its diversity and vibrant city life.

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Caribana: A Cultural Extravaganza Uniting The Streets Of Toronto

A vibrant Caribana celebration with people in colorful costumes enjoying the lively Caribbean festival atmosphere.

Held from mid-July to the Civic Holiday (first Monday in August) weekend every summer, Caribana celebrates the Caribbean culture that is an integral part of Toronto. What began as a long-weekend party is now a three-week, multi-interest event with dozens of components.

Not unlike Carnival in Rio, its closing weekend boasts a mammoth parade with reggae, hip hop, R&B, rap and calypso music, lavish, colorful costumes and a grand-scale party in an nearby arena afterward. Visitors from across the world attend this prime event; the count is now in the hundreds of thousands.

The facets of Caribana are as diverse as the many islands it represents and it has become the largest cultural festival in North America. People come from far and wide to eat ethnic cuisine from “the islands”, dance, party and generally make merry on Lake Shore Boulevard along Lake Ontario and the Toronto Beaches.

Venues across the city, from night clubs to hotels, stadiums to theaters, are used to host Caribana happenings. Many of the scheduled Caribana events are family-friendly, and others, like dance parties and the grand celebrity ball, are designed for adults, singles and couples.

Caribana means three of the hottest (in both senses of the word) weeks in Toronto’s social calendar with DJs playing Caribbean-style music at clubs, steel band competitions, concerts, cruises, even classes in dance and costume-making. The whole celebration comes to a grand climax on parade weekend, but Toronto keeps dancing to the beat for weeks afterward. It’s the party of the year.