The rhythmic pulse of steel pan and calypso echoed through Scarborough’s Albert Campbell Square last weekend, drawing hundreds of Toronto’s Trinidadian community for the annual “Trini Lime” cultural festival. What started seven years ago as a small gathering has blossomed into one of the city’s most vibrant celebrations of Caribbean heritage.
“We’re creating a little piece of Trinidad right here in Toronto,” explains Maria Gonzales, the event’s organizer and a second-generation Trinidadian-Canadian. “It’s about keeping our culture alive for our children while sharing it with our wider community.”
The festival showcased the rich tapestry of Trinidadian culture through food, music, art, and dance. Vendors lined the square offering doubles, roti, and bake and shark – staple dishes that transported attendees straight to Port of Spain. The aroma of curry and sizzling street food created an authentic sensory experience that felt worlds away from Toronto’s typically cooler climate.
What makes Toronto’s Trinidadian cultural scene particularly special is its evolution alongside the city’s multicultural identity. According to Statistics Canada, over 75,000 people of Trinidadian descent call the Greater Toronto Area home, forming one of the largest Trinidadian diasporas outside the Caribbean.
“Our community has deep roots here going back to the 1960s,” notes Dr. Samuel Richards of York University’s Caribbean Studies department. “These cultural events aren’t just nostalgia – they’re living proof of how immigrant communities can preserve their heritage while actively shaping Canadian identity.”
Beyond the festivities, these cultural gatherings serve a deeper purpose. For many young Trinidadian-Canadians born in Toronto, they provide essential connections to ancestral roots that might otherwise fade with each passing generation.
Nineteen-year-old Jason Mohammed attended with his grandparents, who immigrated to Toronto in 1972. “My grandparents talk about Trinidad all the time, but experiencing the music, the food, and the energy of events like this makes those stories real for me,” he shared while watching a performance of traditional limbo dancing.
The Toronto Caribbean Carnival, formerly Caribana, remains the crown jewel of Trinidadian cultural expression in the city. However, community leaders have intentionally developed smaller, more intimate gatherings throughout the year. These events create spaces where specific island traditions can be highlighted and preserved.
Trinity Bellwoods Park hosted last month’s “Trini Family Day,” focusing specifically on children’s games and educational activities. Young attendees learned to play traditional games like moral (marbles) and participated in storytelling sessions featuring Trinidad’s folklore characters like Papa Bois and La Diablesse.
“We need these smaller cultural touchpoints throughout the year,” explains Jennifer Ramlal, director of the Trinidad and Tobago Association of Ontario. “They keep our community connected between the bigger celebrations and allow us to focus on specific traditions that might get lost in larger festivals.”
The culinary aspects of these events often become unexpected bridges between communities. Local chef Anthony Warner has seen growing interest in Trinidadian cuisine among Toronto’s broader population.
“Ten years ago, most Torontonians couldn’t tell you what a doubles was,” Warner says with a laugh. “Now I’m teaching cooking classes with students from every background imaginable who want to learn our techniques and flavors.”
The economic impact of these cultural celebrations extends beyond the events themselves. The Trinidad and Tobago Consulate reports that cultural tourism between the islands and Toronto has increased by 22% over the past five years, with many Toronto residents of Trinidadian descent making heritage trips after reconnecting with their culture.
At Wexford Collegiate School for the Arts in Scarborough, music teacher Michelle Singh has incorporated Trinidadian rhythms and steel pan into the curriculum. Her students recently performed at several cultural events, creating meaningful cross-cultural educational opportunities.
“Music speaks across differences,” Singh emphas
