Montreal's annual Caribbean-flavoured parade has apparently been cancelled due to infighting between two groups that claim to be the true organizers of the event.
One group is led by a guy named Henry Antoine, who used to run it but either quit or was removed and then set up a rival group and sued the first group for control. A judgement is expected later this spring but too late to save the event.
Local Caribbean leaders such as CKUT's Stretch, Jamaica Association's Noel Alexander and Community Contact's Eggbert Gaye have been asked to try to settle the pointless squabble to allow the people to put on the annual parade, which is my favourite for reasons that should be obvious to those who know me.
It is said that Antoine was given $30,000 from the city last year but burned through it a little inexplicably and he went back begged for another $30,000. They weren't too happy but they gave it. The city is still grumbling about this.
My question is: why do they even need money? Isn't a parade, by nature, just a bunch of people walking down a street?
I asked this to Ken Quinn, President of the United Irish Societies, which runs the massive annual St. Patrick's Day Parade. They get $25,000 from the city and I understand another $25,000 from the province. They are required to submit a detailed budget, a demande de soutien de festivals, and the money goes mostly to, he says: "Operational. Putting no parking signs up on the streets, street closure, towing-services to remove cars from the parade route, pylons to segregate an emergency lane. There is a whole set of criteria that has to be met in order to get the funding. The city bends over backwards to help us, from the mayor to the people in the festivals department."
Coolopolis suggests that the whole thing can be settled by putting the organizing into the hands of the St. Paddy's Day organizers.
One group is led by a guy named Henry Antoine, who used to run it but either quit or was removed and then set up a rival group and sued the first group for control. A judgement is expected later this spring but too late to save the event.
Local Caribbean leaders such as CKUT's Stretch, Jamaica Association's Noel Alexander and Community Contact's Eggbert Gaye have been asked to try to settle the pointless squabble to allow the people to put on the annual parade, which is my favourite for reasons that should be obvious to those who know me.
It is said that Antoine was given $30,000 from the city last year but burned through it a little inexplicably and he went back begged for another $30,000. They weren't too happy but they gave it. The city is still grumbling about this.
My question is: why do they even need money? Isn't a parade, by nature, just a bunch of people walking down a street?
I asked this to Ken Quinn, President of the United Irish Societies, which runs the massive annual St. Patrick's Day Parade. They get $25,000 from the city and I understand another $25,000 from the province. They are required to submit a detailed budget, a demande de soutien de festivals, and the money goes mostly to, he says: "Operational. Putting no parking signs up on the streets, street closure, towing-services to remove cars from the parade route, pylons to segregate an emergency lane. There is a whole set of criteria that has to be met in order to get the funding. The city bends over backwards to help us, from the mayor to the people in the festivals department."
Coolopolis suggests that the whole thing can be settled by putting the organizing into the hands of the St. Paddy's Day organizers.
Not Patty, please. It's St. Patrick's Day, or Paddy's Day if you must.
ReplyDelete(Also, who is Benz? You mention them but without an explanation who/what they are.)
Just keep the damn drunks off the floats.
ReplyDeleteTake a look at the coat of arms of Montserrat...for Caribbean-Irish content.
ReplyDeletehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coat_of_arms_of_Montserrat
Peabody
Hahaha! That's funny. The St. Paddy's Day gang organizing the Carifest parade. Oh KG, you slay me sometimes. I'm not saying the Irish and Black communities in this town are sworn enemies but suggesting the St. Paddy's Day organizers run the Carifest parade is too rich. Irey go bragh, mon!
ReplyDeletePG
The word Carifiesta reminds me of Festivus from Seinfeld, the blending of two words.
ReplyDeleteTrue. There's a small community, I forget where, where the parade is so small, the parade doesn't move, and the spectators walk by it.
ReplyDelete