Kandice VincentWhat to Expect in the Trinbago Toronto Festival
With its two iterations so far, the Trinbago Toronto Festival is the largest celebration of Trinidadian and Tobagonian culture in North America. It features a variety of cultural performances, music, dance, and food.
Planning to go to the next one? Learn more about the event and what to expect, especially when it comes to traditional food and exciting activities.
What to Expect in the Trinbago Toronto Festival
What is the Trinbago Toronto Festival?
— From: @MangoXCyanide
The Trinbago Toronto Festival is a celebration of the culture, history, and impact of the Trinidad and Tobago diaspora in Canada. It’s an annual event that was first held in 2022, attracting over 18,000 visitors.
It was held for the second time on the last weekend of August 2023. The event is free for everyone and is a great avenue to learn about the culture of Trinidad and Tobago, such as their traditional food and music.
Where is the Trinbago Festival in Toronto?
— From: @sweirsweir
The Trinbago Toronto Festival is held at Yonge-Dundas Square, which is located at 1 Dundas St E, Toronto, ON M5B 1G4.
Often referred to as “Toronto’s Times Square” due to its vibrant atmosphere and its many electronic billboards, Yonge-Dundas Square is a four-block square at the intersection of Yonge Street and Dundas Street East.
How to Get There
To get to Yonge-Dundas Square, you can take the Yonge-University-Spadina subway line and embark on Dundas Station. You can also take the 501 Queen streetcar to Dundas West Station.
The nearest bus stop is Bay St at Dundas St West. Going by car isn’t recommended since available parking spots might be too hard to find.
What to Do in the Trinbago Festival
Try Trinidadian and Tobagonian food
— From: @blogto
The festival has a wide variety of food vendors serving traditional Trinidadian and Tobagonian cuisine. You can try everything from roti and curry to doubles and sorrel.
A different lineup of food vendors can be found at the festival every year. The final list is usually announced before the actual event.
Watch cultural performances
— From: @instabrowngyal and @cnzinc
Enjoy live cultural performances that involve folk dancing and soca music, some with traditional instruments like the steelpan and the tassa. There are also carnival presentations where people can let loose and have fun.
Visit the booths
— From: @1ndividual
Visit booths where you can learn more about Trinidadian and Tobagonian culture. You can look for the booth of The Trinidad and Tobago Diaspora Association if you want to be involved in community events.
You can also explore other booths that feature Trinbagonian businesses and services to learn more about the local community.
Dance the night away
— From: @method_moda
The festival is a celebration of Trinbagonian culture and their people love to dance. Take the chance to experience their culture firsthand; take in the vibes, enjoy the music, and dance your heart out.
What to Eat in the Trinbago Festival
Roti and Doubles
— From: @collaborative_connoisseurs
Roti is a flatbread made from wheat flour, water, and salt. It can be filled with a variety of ingredients, such as curried chickpeas, potatoes, or vegetables and is usually cooked on a griddle until it’s soft and pliable.
Doubles is a sandwich made with two pieces of bara, which is a fried flatbread similar to roti. The bara is filled with curried chickpeas, potatoes, and chutney.
Curry Goat
— From: @jamaicavybzfood
Typically served with roti or rice, curry goat is a stew made with goat meat, potatoes, and a variety of spices. It’s a popular dish in Trinidad and Tobago as well as in other Caribbean countries.
The goat meat is typically slow-cooked in a curry sauce that is made with a blend of spices, such as turmeric, cumin, coriander, and ginger. The potatoes are added to the stew towards the end of cooking to help thicken the sauce.
Bake and Shark
— From: @rendelina_reviews
Bake and shark is a popular street food in Trinidad and Tobago. It’s a fried fish sandwich made with a fried shark fillet, topped with lettuce, tomato, and mayonnaise.
The shark, typically a blacktip shark, is cut into fillets and then fried until golden brown. The sandwich is made with bara, and it’s often served with hot sauce.
Guava Duff
— From: @thedufflegend
Guava duff is a traditional dessert from the Bahamas. It’s a sweet bread pudding made with guava and spices and is often served with rum sauce.
The bread pudding is made with flour, sugar, eggs, milk, and butter. The guava is diced and folded into the batter before being steamed or baked until it’s cooked through.
Coconut Drops
— From: @evefamilyfoods
Coconut drops are a traditional Caribbean dessert made with coconut, sugar, and flour. They are a type of fritter that is often served with a sweet sauce or chutney.
They are made by mixing grated coconut, sugar, flour, baking powder, and water until they form a dough. The dough is then dropped by spoonfuls into hot oil and fried until golden brown.
What to Buy in the Trinbago Festival
Clothing
— From: @trini.biz
At the festival, you’ll find all sorts of traditional Trinbagonian clothing such as saris, sarongs, and kurtas. They are a big part of their culture and are often made with bright colours and patterns.
There are also other clothing options like calypso and soca costumes, Rastafarian apparel, and Caribbean beachwear.
Arts and crafts
— From: @apanaki_apnki
Take the chance to learn more about Trinidad and Tobago’s art history through their paintings, sculptures, and hand-woven pieces.
They are often made by local artists and artisans who dedicate their lives to making traditional crafts.
CDs
— From: @psychophono
The Trinbagonian community is known for their diverse and unique sound. You can find CDs at the festival that feature calypso, soca, chutney, steelpan, and reggae music.
They have a rich history and a healthy relationship with music, as you can see with their passion for live performances and dancing.
