The end of July in Toronto can only mean one thing — Caribana time! That’s right, the city’s annual Caribbean Carnival is taking over the city from Thursday, July 31, to Monday, Aug. 4, 2025. That’s five full days of culture, nightlife, parties, and lots of dancing.
Attracting millions of visitors to the city, Caribana is the largest Caribbean carnival in North America, and every year it gets bigger and bigger.
With those many days, there are a ton of events and programming to check out, so we’ve made it easy for you and rounded up some of the must-attend events.
Are you ready? Here is your Caribana 2025 bucket list!
Grand Parade
Is Toronto’s Caribana complete without the iconic parade? The answer is no!
Get yourself down to Exhibition Place and Lakeshore Boulevard on Saturday to get in on the action. Masqueraders take to the street in their beautiful costumes and dance along for a full day of fun, from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Organized into groups, paraders groove to soca, calypso, and dancehall rhythms westbound along Lakeshore Boulevard, until Jameson Avenue, where the parade will loop around to head eastbound back on Lakeshore and finish at Exhibition Place on British Columbia Road.
While it’s free to view the parade along the Lake Shore (if you snag a good spot), there are tickets available to guarantee your place.
When: Aug. 2, 2025
Time: 8 a.m. to 8 p.m
Where: Exhibition Place and Lakeshore Boulevard
Yes Yes Y’all Caribana Edition and Friends
Famed Toronto queer hiphop party throwers Yes Yes Y’all will take over Standard Time on Sunday night for a special edition event!
Known for creating an inhibition-less party with bumping tunes and non-stop dancing, YYY events have taken over the city, and there’s no doubt this Caribana edition will be one to remember.
Featuring local DJ legends, Bambii, Nino Brown, Young Teeth, and Onii-Sama, this event is guaranteed to be a vibe, and tickets are still available.
When: Aug. 2, 2025
Where: Standard Time, 165 Geary Ave., 2nd Floor
Cost: $22+
OVO Hot 97/ BET Party with Smiley
Keep the party going at Acqua Supper Club on Sunday night for some celebrity action. Hosted by Drake-affiliated and local rapper OVO Smiley, this event bills itself as the All-Star Celebrity Party for Caribana, which guarantees good times and even better music.
General admission tickets are priced at $40, but you could also splurge and go for the Diamond All Access Pass, which gets you into this party and 24 others — for $160!
When: Aug. 3, 2025
Where: Acqua Supper Club – 50 Prince Edward Island Cres.
Cost: $40+
Colours with Shenseea Live
Perhaps one of the most hyped events for this year’s carnival is a live performance by the one-and-only Shenseea!
The iconic Jamaican dancehall singer is sure to put on a wicked set, with performances from Yung Bredda, Mical Teja, Problem Child and more! Even cooler? This is a powder and foam event, where partiers will be drenched in rainbow colours.
General admission and VIP packages are still available for this Friday night event at the Markham Fairgrounds.
When: Aug. 1, 2025
Where: Markham Fairgrounds – 10801 McCowan Rd.
Cost: $100+
Sundays in Paradise – Caribana
Sundays in Paradise (SIP) is an ongoing Toronto-based DJ event series that takes place on the first Sunday of every summer month, and for this month, SIP is bringing some special daytime Caribana flair.
Come and party at Paradise Grotto starting at 3 p.m. with Xandros, Smartiez, Syd, and Mike Roc and prepare to dance until your feet hurt!
When: Aug. 3, 2025
Where: Paradise Grotto – 270 Adelaide St. W.
Cost: $30+
DayLit with Fabolous
Beat that July heat with a daytime pool party! Cabana Pool Bar will host Brooklyn rapper Fabolous on Friday from 2 p.m. – 8 p.m. This is sure to be a must-visit event, with thousands of partygoers attending each year.
Located at Polson Pier, Cabana will be the spot of the day — featuring an octagonal-shaped swimming pool, 12 private cabanas, and lots of sunshine.
When: Aug. 1, 2025
Where: Cabana Pool Bar – 11 Polson St.
Cost: $70+
Caribana 2025
Got your outfits ready? Make the most of your Caribana experience and celebrate the city’s Caribbean culture! Visit the Caribana website for more events and have a great festival, Toronto!
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