The Rogers Chinese Lantern Festival in it's final week at Ontario Place

Illuminated Chinese Dragon Boat @ Ontario Place (Photo by JEF)

Toronto, September 30, 2007 - The Rogers Chinese Lantern Festival will come to a close as Summer winds down. Patrons only have one more week to view the spectacular exhibition featured at Ontario Place.

The festival showcases three influential dynasties in Chinese history (the Qin Dynasty, the Tang Dynasty, and the Song Dynasty), the East-West exchange of the Silk Road, and many other aspects of Chinese culture. The magnificent depictions of Chinese Culture were put together by more than 60 Master Craftsmen from the China Colour Lantern Museum of Zigong, China. In only it's second year, the festival has added 10 more grand-scale lantern installations; for a total of more than 40 massive illuminated scenes, depicting Chinese landmarks and mythology.

Nightly entertainment at the festival include China-themed IMAX® movies at the Cinesphere, a Chinese tea house, food market with cooking demontrations, a craft market and the Toronto Star Stage (featuring martial arts, lion dances, acrobats and more).

History
The Lantern Festival in China falls on the 15th day of the first lunar month, which marks the end of the Chinese New Year celebrations. On the night of the first full moon, cities and villages are illuminated by beautifully decorated and intricately crafted lanterns hung from houses, shops and temples and carried by children as they walk along the streets. Today, streets on which the Lantern Festival is held are not only lit by the traditional lanterns, but also by brilliantly crafted floats and highly complex light shows. The lanterns are traditionally made of paper or silk and are painted all sorts of designs or famous scenes from Chinese history.

Schedule:
Oct. 4-5, 2007, 6pm - 10pm
Oct. 6-7, 2007, 5pm - 10pm

Admission:
General (13-64) $25
Child (4-12) $20
Senior (65+) $20
Children under 4 years FREE

For more info visit: http://www.chineselanternfestival.ca/

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Mac Farlane launches Earth

Photo by Mariamma Kambon

Trinidad, Friday September 14th, 2007 - Not much fanfare surrounded the launch of Brian Mac Farlane's 2008 presentation of 'Earth - Cries of Despair, Wings of Hope' on an overcast morning at San Fernando Hill on September 13th, but the simplicity of the presentation was only the backdrop for the revelation of the most amazing costume designs thus far for Carnival 2008.

The invited were mostly media with Mac Farlane support staff and well wishers, all privileged to a first look at Earth. After a short media briefing, mud drenched characters led the way to the accompaniment of tambu bambu. In the distance a replica of the Earth seemingly rose from the remnants of a once quarried rock that is now the preserved majestic San Fernando Hill. As the Earth fell to the ground a figure clad in white robes, mask over the face was revealed, behind the mask was Brian Mac Farlane himself. A sea of painted and mud smeared brown cotton waves punctuated by protruding mud caked faces of the Earth characters were his milieu.

As Mac Farlane began his tale of The Earth the real story unfolded. The Earth has been damaged by elders, raped by the greed of humans who have ravaged its resources. In spite of this the planet still wants to give life and there is hope for renewal in the children of today. To this end Mac Farlane will join with children’s Band of the Year Rosalind Gabriel to present 17 sections; 13 adult sections representing Cries of Despair and 5 children’s sections portraying the Wings of Hope. On Carnival Monday masqueraders will be wrapped in cloth and bathed in mud while on Tuesday yards of fabric, parched, cracked and dry with mud will be pulled throughout the band to signify the Earth begging for water.

Registration opens to the public today (Sep 14) at the Mas Camp located at 49 Rosalino Street, Woodbrook, Trinidad. Mac Farlane Loyalty Card Holders are invited to register from Friday September 14th to Sunday September 23rd. New Band Members are invited to register from Monday September 24th. Mas Camp hours are from Monday to Saturday 11am to 8pm; Sundays and the Republic Holiday 3pm to 8pm

For more info about Mac Farlane's 2008 presentation 'Earth - Cries of Despair, Wings of Hope' and to register online, please visit http://www.macfarlanecarnival.net/. The Mas Camp phone numbers are 868-628-4168 and 868-628-1274

Photos from the launch are available at...
www.toronto-lime.com/pictures/carnival/2007/070913_macfarlane_launch

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EUSTACE AND CARVALHO TAKE THE NEXT STEP, BRINGING COLOURS OF IMAGINATION TO CARNIVAL 2008

Photo by Calvin French

September 11, 2007 – Legendary bandleaders Curtis Eustace and Faried Carvalho are preparing to launch Colours of Imagination in Trinidad on September 22, with their first Carnival band, Evolution.

Carrying on a tradition of excellence and innovation, Eustace is confident that Colours of Imagination will be a unique addition to the Carnival. “We have always brought a different style, and introduced a lot of technology into carnival,” said Eustace. “How we build our costumes, the weight of the costumes, the size…the engineering… hydraulics: there are a lot of things we’re introducing to the arena.”

In order to comfortably accommodate masqueraders of all shapes and dimensions, Colours of Imagination will proudly feature a variation of costume styles for women. “We want to cater to everybody,” said Eustace.

Carvalho told the Trinidad Guardian newspaper, “Not every woman could go to the gym and get buff. This band is also for the mother who just wants a break from her kids for two days.”

Curtis Eustace, along with his brother Marcus Eustace, is also the band leader of Toronto’s Carnival Nationz, who took home the band of the year title two years in a row, after their inaugural Caribana appearance in 2005. In 2007, Carnival Nationz took home most of the Caribana titles at the King and Queen show at Lamport Stadium. While Eustace has also received the King of Carnival title eight times in Trinidad – tying Peter Samuel as the all time winner – the Evolution band is a Carnival first.

“Trinidad is going to be a big stepping stone. It is the next step in the Eustace name,” said Eustace, whose father, the late Tedder Eustace, was a three-time Carnival King in the seventies and eighties. “I have a nice committee with me, and with their help, I think we should be successful.”

“We’ve accomplished Kings, Queens, Individuals, Toronto, Miami; Trinidad is the biggest step, and the last step to complete the circuit.”

Evolution will launch their 2008 Carnival presentation 'Colours of Imagination' on Saturday September 22nd at Pier 1 (Chaguaramas, Trinidad). For more information, please call 416-565-4079, 416-676-6504 or 868-333-4379.