Good bye Montreal Carifiesta and welcome MONTREAL CARIMAS

Montreal is finally having a Caribbean Carnival this year. I feel I could run in town again, jump and shake the ground again. Wave with all my friends and them, no place like home, home, home. words of road March king Mical Teja song “DNA”.
2024 is the year we say bye bye to Montreal Carifiesta and welcome to”MONTREAL CARIMAS”. Some might say it’s a bittersweet feeling, but I feel like everything had to work out the way it is. On April 3, 2024, the city of Montreal posted the List of organizations supported in 2024. Where the (CCNM) The Caribbean Coalition Network Of Montreal, spearheaded by the Barbados House Montreal Inc. (BHM) was given the contract to have their Caribbean Carnival title Carimas Montreal 2024.
As the news of Montreal having a Caribbean Carnival has become viral on social media, The President of the C.C.F.A (Caribbean Cultural Festivities Association), Everiste Blaize put out the follow press release : Dear CCFA membership and Montreal community,
It is with disappointment that we must inform you of the unfortunate news that despite our relentless efforts, we have not been granted the permit for this year’s Carifiesta Parade. This news comes as a letdown to us, especially considering our longstanding contributions to this vibrant event over the years.
We have always cherished the opportunity to produce the Carifiesta Parade, as it not only allows us to celebrate our culture and heritage but also provides us with a platform to come together as a community and share our joy of Montreal Carnival with others. Carifiesta has been a source of pride for us, and we were eagerly looking forward to yet another memorable experience this year.
However, despite our best efforts and dedication, circumstances beyond our control have led to the denial of our permit application. While we may be disheartened by this setback, we remain steadfast in our commitment to supporting and uplifting our community in any way we can.
We would like to take this opportunity to extend our sincerest congratulations to the organizers who have been awarded the permit. We wish them the best of luck in their endeavor and hope that they cancreate a vibrant and successful event.
We thank you for your continued support and look forward to future opportunities to come together and celebrate with the community once again.
Later that day the (CCNM) The Caribbean Coalition Network Of Montreal,put out the following press release :
The Caribbean Coalition Network of Montreal was awarded the contract
to run this year’s carnival. We are thankful for receiving the permit for Carimas Montreal. More information will be forthcoming shortly.
Juleen Barrington, President, Antigua and Barbuda Association of Montreal Cynthia Waithe, President, Barbados House Montreal Ketlyn Maitland-Blades, President, Dominica Association of Montreal Leebert
Sancho, President, Guyana Cultural Association of Montreal Nicole Swann, President, Grenada Nationals Association of Montreal Mark Henry, President, Jamaica Association of Montreal Nicole John, President, St. Vincent and the Grenadines Association of Montreal
In this issue I didn’t try to comprehend why the city of Montreal chose to grant the contract to (CCNM) over (CCFA) who has been running the Carnival 40+ years. But instead encourage the (CCFA) to reach out to (CCNM) and vice versa for just this year to work hand in hand to make this new beginning a success. Remember the Caribbean Carnival is for the band leaders and patrons. We were given a second
chance, let’s not mess it up.