Sunday 16th August was the 69th anniversary of India’s independence. Celebrations here in Toronto included Panorama India, a festival at Yonge Dundas Square.
There was a small but energetic and colorful parade on the streets around the Eaton Center.
The festival also featured vendors, music and speeches.
A few protesters waved flags and and carried signs and banners protesting against the Indian army’s presence in Kashmir. They stood on the sidewalk across the street from the festival.
The 43rd Annual Festival of India started with a parade down Yonge Street from Bloor to Queens Quay on Saturday afternoon.
The parade is similar to an annual procession that has occurred for centuries in the city of Puri, India as part of a Hindu festival associated with the god Jagannath. Here in Toronto, as in Puri, three chariots constructed to look like temples are pulled through the streets in a procession from one temple to another. Each chariot carries a richly decorated representation of a god, first is Jagannatha (another name for Krishna or God) and then his brother Baladeva and his sister Subhadra. The chariots are pulled by people and the procession symbolizes the pulling of the Lord into our hearts.
In Puri, this Ratha-Yatra procession continues to attract over a million people every year.
In Toronto, the numbers aren’t quite that high!
below: Many people used ropes to pull the floats down Yonge Street.
below: Other people danced, walked, sang and chanted Hare Krishna mantras.
The festivities continued on Centre Island for the remainder of the weekend.
Toronto Pride Parade,
Bloor St. and Yonge St., June 2015
fun & games,
smiles & laughter,
community involvement
pride parade pics in no particular order
Toronto mayor John Tory walks in the parade armed with a super soaker.
Actress Cyndi Lauper rides on the ‘Kinky Boots’ float.
Spiderman makes an appearance too.
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Elizabeth May, leader of the federal Green Party.
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Anonymous characters because #HIVanonymous
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Fruit having a wonderful time in support of Communityone Foundation
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“The Heat”, Peel Regional Police
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You don’t need clothes to take a selfie!
Pride Week 2015
Most of these photos are from the Dyke March on Saturday, both of the people walking in the parade and the people who came out in the rain to watch the parade. And rain it did. But there were still lots of smiles and lots of laughter.
St. Patricks Day, 17th March
Watching people watching the parade in downtown Toronto on Sunday afternoon.
Shooting the pride parade was a lot different from shooting the dyke march! The pride parade is much bigger and by necessity much more tightly controlled. I was able to walk alongside the women in the dyke march but the streets were barricaded and non-participants kept off the route for the pride parade.
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looking west on Bloor towards Yonge.
I walked the first part of the route, along Bloor Street, just before the parade started. Lots of crowds were behind the metal bars; a few police were watching/ignoring me. When I turned the corner at Yonge St., I realized just how controlled the crowds were! I chose not to continue walking south on Yonge. A policeman opened the barricade enough to let me out. After that I walked amongst the crowds….. and saw nothing of the parade! Too many people! But they were interesting people and I enjoyed walking amongst them. …. until Dundas when there were so many people and no one could move. That’s was my cue to exit stage right.
So here’s a salute to all those who joined the fun. A little raunchy and a little over the top at times but all good.
Kudos to these two ladies who showed up in banana costumes! I asked them if they were part of a group, but no, they’re just fruity they said. I hope they joined the parade had fun (and didn’t get too hot!… unless they peeled…. )
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timeless
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pink, with smiles, waiting for the parade to begin
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Before the parade started – They were actually posing for someone else… but I suggested that they look a little livelier, wave their hands or something…. thanks for obliging!
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viewable, & captured, from all angles
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boys just wanna have fun
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keeping the sun away. These umbrellas were great – very photogenic!
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big grins! The one in blue was more game than his partner…. you could almost say that one in grey is grimacing more than grinning. Thanks guys!
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He had such a wonderful smile and he seemed so happy that I couldn’t resist taking his picture.
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ninjas, mostly unmasked
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a better view!
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The crowds at Yonge and Wellesley just as the parade reached that part of the route.
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How does one even start to calculate how many people were there?
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A quick shot – he saw my camera, turned and quickly posed, and I got the shot. It wasn’t until I downloaded the photos that I saw the marvellous juxtaposition!
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almost their own little parade!
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stopping the parade to let the College/Carlton streetcar through
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She doesn’t seem to be having fun – standing in the window of Starbucks at College & Yonge.
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I walked the parade route at about the same speed that the parade went. An hour and a half later, I reached Yonge & Dundas where the crowds were so thick no one could move.
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At the corner of Yonge & Dundas – by the time I made it to this intersection, I was beginning to agree with the boy in green!
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posing with the body painters – Body Art by Tania was the booth on Church St., near the start of the parade.
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actoronto – AIDS Committee Toronto
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….continued from the previous post
Here is the second sample of the photos that I took at the dyke march yesterday.
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The march finally got underway…..
Here is the first sample of the photos that I took as it passed by.
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Getting ready, or waiting, for the Dyke March. Saturday 28th June, from Allan Gardens west to Yonge St then north to Charles St. It was a very warm and sunny day.
Carlton street awaits the start of the march.
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reflecting on the CUPE bus, painted in pink and flying a pink flag.
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I bought a flag.
Him: Oh, this is going to be put online?
Me: If it works.
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It was a hot day and the parade was late getting started…….
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I spoke briefly to a woman who was wearing this bracelet. One of the women she was with was wearing a sticker that said, “Eat Me, I’m Kosher” but I didn’t take a picture of it.
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something about gender, details of a crocheted banner that was made to be carried in the march
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pretty in pink
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custom crocheted umbrella to keep the sun off…. sitting on the grass before the parade
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waiting to ride
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as I walk Toronto 