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Save Afrofest! Toronto's African Music Festival

1,706 Comments

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Ashley Spencer
10 years ago

Please maintain the two day Afrofest!!! If the same sound equipment, crew and sound levels are being used as other major festivals in Toronto this is clearly discriminatory

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Emerita Emerencia
10 years ago

This is so clearly discrimination. I have been to all the different festivals in TO throughout the years.... The Beaches Jazz Festival, The Pride Parade, The Italian, The one on the Danforth, Brazilian Festivals and so many more. Although I enjoy all of them, Afro Fest is the one I enjoyed the most when it was at Queens Park. It was a once a year Love Fest, where we could meet friends and acquaintances we had not seen perhaps since the last Afro Fest. It was time to sit on a blanket, have a picnic, watch the kids play, eat great food sold right there, shop for beautiful, clothing, arts and crafts and special gifts for that special friend at the markets right there and feel whole again listening to local and African bands for FREE. And you want to take that away from us??? Why??? The argument of too much noise it the biggest BS I have heard because all the other Festivals are just as loud or louder. I have never witnessed any violence or fights before at Afro Fest. I can't say the same of some of the other concerts I have been too, where people get wasted and don't know how to behave them selves. yeah, I am talking about those ear-deafening Rock concerts or the Metal or Punk concerts. I don't even go to them for fear of some them getting out of hand when the drugs and the over consumption of alcohol kicks in. People come from way out of town including myself to Afro Fest. It's one of the big reasons to come to TO for the whole weekend and get my "cultural fix" Last summer I went to Woodbine to check it out. Guess what...I did not like it one bit. I am talking about the venue, The Park....Too spread out.... when you eventually find it. No clear signs. Not user friendly such as Queen's Park. It's lost its sparkle...So again why preventing vendors to make a a buck on the two day Festival. They count on it. Why deprive the rest of us for a fun filled, cultural and spiritual experience, why prevent musicians to have a chance to shine and entertain a crowd and celebrate

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Emerita Emerencia
10 years ago

This is so clearly discrimination. I have been to all the different festivals in TO throughout the years.... The Beaches Jazz Festival, The Pride Parade, The Italian, The one on the Danforth, Brazilian Festivals and so many more. Although I enjoy all of them, Afro Fest is the one I enjoyed the most when it was at Queens Park. It was a once a year Love Fest, where we could meet friends and acquaintances we had not seen perhaps since the last Afro Fest. It was time to sit on a blanket, have a picnic, watch the kids play, eat great food sold right there, shop for beautiful, clothing, arts and crafts and special gifts for that special friend at the markets right there and feel whole again listening to local and African bands for FREE. And you want to take that away from us??? Why??? The argument of too much noise it the biggest BS I have heard because all the other Festivals are just as loud or louder. I have never witnessed any violence or fights before at Afro Fest. I can't say the same of some of the other concerts I have been too, where people get wasted and don't know how to behave them selves. yeah, I am talking about those ear-deafening Rock concerts or the Metal or Punk concerts. I don't even go to them for fear of some them getting out of hand when the drugs and the over consumption of alcohol kicks in. People come from way out of town including myself to Afro Fest. It's one of the big reasons to come to TO for the whole weekend and get my "cultural fix" Last summer I went to Woodbine to check it out. Guess what...I did not like it one bit. I am talking about the venue, The Park....Too spread out.... when you eventually find it. No clear signs. Not user friendly such as Queen's Park. It's lost its sparkle...So again why preventing vendors to make a a buck on the two day Festival. They count on it. Why deprive the rest of us for a fun filled, cultural and spiritual experience, why prevent musicians to have a chance to shine and entertain a crowd and celebrate

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Jannette Lumley
10 years ago

Cultural events like these are needed in the community in the summertime. Many people hibernate during the winter months because of the cold weather. Such an event brings unity, harmony and love. The two days are necessary because of the demand.

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Kim
10 years ago

I love it and enjoy the music brings back memories

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Nekpen Obasogie
10 years ago

We want the two days for Afrofest festival

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Chasaya Sichilima
10 years ago

Unacceptable!!! Two-days has worked well for organisational purposes. You can't ramp all those artists in one day!

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maQ
10 years ago

The city is a growing city and someone has to decide on a few permanent venues for the increasing live and cultural performances!

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Anonymous
10 years ago

Afrofest is so important!

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Paula Almeida
10 years ago

I am a Beaches resident and outraged. Shame on you Margaret McMahon and City of Toronto. It's not too late to reverse this injustice.

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sunni rochelle
10 years ago

afrofest is the HIGHLIGHT of the summer for many of us, especially with families....to be in joy with other folks in our communities out in the sun with the beautiful music we 'vibe' with... It was bad enough the city moved afrofest out of the city centre (where it fit so beautifully!) out to woodbine, but to minimize it to one day, well i do agree, that would be discriminatory- it seems so blatantly obvious the city is slowly trying to end this festival... IT CANNOT BE SO... it is too important to too many of us who call this city our home!!!!

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Mathieu McFadden
10 years ago

This move is BS.

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Jane Walker
10 years ago

Worries about noise, not to mention pollution? Cancel the stupid car race.

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Promise
10 years ago

Save Afrofest

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Dalton Beckford
10 years ago

A different set of rules for "black " events. Just a another kind of oppression.

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Anonymous
10 years ago

Please keep the two-day festival. Thanks.

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Abel Abebe
10 years ago

This event is very important to me and my community. It is important to non-Africans as it is a homage to the rich diversity in the arts that North America and Europe and South America take and enjoy that come from Africa. Without this event, non-Africans are subject to the negative images shown to them and they will only know that instead of the beauty that is not shown in mainstream North American media. Also it is a beautiful display of how diverse the Black community truly is, we look different, we sound different, but we are all beautiful and unique just like the other beautiful ethnicity world wide.

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Sheila Banks
10 years ago

It was great at Queen's Park but you had to move it to a place that bothers people. This makes no sense.

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Sandra Taylor
10 years ago

This festival is a beautiful and important part of the city's cultural celebrations. Please continue to support it.

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Geoff H
10 years ago

Should remain the same format