On Thursday, a little office space on the east side was having the party of its life. That’s because the Caribbean Women’s Network was blasting soca music and hot-glueing rhinestones in preparation for the bigger festivities – the Cariwest Caribbean Arts Festival – downtown this weekend. “We’re a group of women who meet all year long. We run cultural programs, social women’s issues programs, and we’ve done Cariwest every year since 2018,” explained Pearl Bennett. The group is for all ages and often includes a large senior population, which Bennett says is important because that’s the demographic that “grew up with it.” “We grew up playing mas … attending all the steel band concerts during Cariwest,” she said. Mas is short for masquerading. “Playing mas” refers to street theatre performed during the festival’s parade. “We’re not young anymore. I’m not, anyway. (But) It’s important for us to be engaged in the community, to feel like we’re active and living … I like to go and curl, too, but I love this more,” Bennett added. This year, the Caribbean Women’s Network’s theme for their human float is “island vibes.” Decorations, which were being playfully designed Thursday, included colourful shirts, straw hats and palm leaves. The group will dance along 108 Street, Jasper Avenue and Churchill Square on Saturday. “The road is important because it stems from the history behind Cariwest … The emancipation of the slaves, they felt so free,” Bennett said. “When else do we get to go on the street and dance?” Cariwest president Samantha Alexander says this year’s festival theme, “Pulse of the people,” is meant to celebrate groups like the Caribbean Women’s Network at the “heart of the festival.” Opening performances on Friday night, for example, will include generational family performances. Sunday’s will include a karaoke segment for the first time in the festival’s approximately 40-year run. “The reason for the festival was to continue to embrace our culture and make sure that we’re passing that on to each generation as they come along,” she said on Thursday. “So to see generation after generation participating, I think that’s the backbone of what the festival really is about.” “The whole festival really just embodies joy, and it’s freedom of expression. You see that in the parade. All ages, all sizes, it doesn’t matter.” The Cariwest Caribbean Arts Festival begins in Churchill Square on Friday at 5 p.m. It’s free to attend. With files from CTV News Edmonton’s Miriam Valdes-Carletti
