Let me stand next to your fire

If you’re a pyrophobe, tonight might be the night to face your fear.

Carnivalissima — Harbourfront Centre’s multicultural grande fete — will have enough fire on hand to make every marshmallow in Toronto run screaming into the night.

It’s called FireWalk: Fire dancers. Fire eaters. Giant puppets. And, according the the Luminato publicity sheet, “the glimmering lights of a thousand lanterns.”

Bring some SPF 30. The event begins as soon as Mr. Sun goes below the horizon.

Music at Carnivalissima

In our ongoing quest to overbook your weekend, the Luminato Blog presents the schedule for the Harbourfront Centre’s Toronto Star Stage at Carnivalissima this weekend:

The Dirty Dozen Brass Band is one of the truly quintessential acts of our times. They’ve been the crown jewel of New Orleans music for 30 years and have thrilled audiences all over the world. (June 8, 9:30 p.m.)

COBA (Collective of Black Artists) performs Danse Belé a theatrical representation of the history of Caribbean Indigenous Folk dances from Trinidad and Tobago. They weave dance, spoken word, music, drumming, chants and period costumes to transport the audience through the life and times of plantation slaves. (June 9, 6:30 p.m.)

Olodum is a world-renowned cultural group of carnival ambassadors based in Bahia, Brazil. They have been performing since 1979 and are widely credited with developing the music style known as samba-reggae and for their active participation in Carnival each year. (June 9, 9:30 p.m.)

Machel Montano HD is the undisputed Soca King of Trinidad and Tobago who is edging his name among the elite in the music industry. Machel and his band HD have been the premier Soca band in the Caribbean for more than a decade and have established themselves as the leading draw at major events in New York City, Miami, Toronto, London and throughout the Caribbean. (June 10, 4:00 p.m.)

Carnivalissima: For All Ages

So, here’s what we imagine the situation to be: You’ve got kids. You want to have a good time at Luminato absorbing some art and culture, but the kids tend to get squirmy when you take them to see opera or modern dance recitals. You’d take them to Speigeltent’ntavern, but you know that nobody ever won Parent of the Year for taking their kids to a burlesque show. Where’s a family to go?

We at the Luminato Blog feel your pain, and we’ve got an easy answer: Carnivalissima. It’s a celebration of the diversity and creativity of Toronto’s vastly multicultural population, featuring concerts, art, film, fashion, dance, jazz, international crafts and cuisine… we’re getting out of breath just listing it all.

Here’s the full schedule:

Masquerade Ball: June 8, 8 p.m., Carnivalissima Tent
The Masquerade Ball will start with a call to dance by Maracatu Nunca Antes and continue with music by Jay Douglas and the All Stars and dance lessons by Miko Sobreira and Company. Performances in the Venetian tradition will occur featuring commedia del’arte by MetaPhysical Theatre. Amazing fashion competitions and two fashion shows created by Len D. Henry of Fashcam Productions take place.

Carnival: The Spirit and the Soul: All Weekend, Marilyn Brewer Community Space
An exciting new art exhibition curated by Theodoro Dragoneri will examine tradition based on more contemporary aspects of the uses of theatrical narrative and masking. This three-part exhibition will include masks, photography and mixed media from Europe, Africa, Asia and the Americas.

FireWalk: June 9, after dusk, Congo Square
When day turns to night, Carnivalissima ignites the Toronto waterfront with spectacles of swirling fire dancers, daring fire-eaters, majestic stilt performers, mythical giant puppets, and the glimmering lights of a thousand lanterns! Join in a dance procession of shadow and light and follow the sound of Samba, Steel Pan and Tassa Drums through Harbourfront Centre’s transformed boardwalk and streets.

Family Programming: June 9 & 10, Topsy Turvy Territory and Kid’s Hands-On Tent
A two-day carnival arts and crafts extravaganza will take place by the waterfront. Children of all ages, family and friends are invited to create dazzling carnival masks and costumes, bamboo and paper lanterns, and musical instruments from all over the world. Jump up and dance along to the beat of live steel-pan orchestras, chutney Soca, African drums, stilt-dancers, and hoop-dancers all performed by professional youth artists. Special dance workshops, mask theatre performances, aerial dance performances, and the aroma of live food demonstrations from the master chefs of Pier 4 Restaurant and Radisson Hotel will ignite the carnival spirit in kids and adults alike.

Carnivalissima happens entirely at the Harbourfront Centre.

The Luminato Express: Come on and take a free ride

Bless the good souls at the Toronto Transit Commission. They’re providing all of us art-lovers with free rides this weekend.

TTC will run two buses this weekend every half hour, between the Distillery District and the Harbourfront Centre, with a stop at Union Station in between.

So, you just checked out Carnivalissima and you’re ready to head to the Luminato Poetry Slam Semi-Finals at the Distillery? Hop on the Luminato Express at Queen’s Quay West. You just learned how to breakdance at the Distillery’s Breakdance Workshop and now you want to get your masque on at Carnivalissima’s opening Masquerade Ball? Head to the Mill Street Entrance of the Distillery and be on your way.

The buses will run tonight from 6 p.m. to midnight, Saturday, June 9 from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m., and Sunday, June 10 from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m.

And just like all of the events at Carnivalissima and Luminato at the Distillery, the buses are absolutely free of charge.