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After several years away, the Caribbean cruise is returning to Grape and Wine.
Introduced this year as Reminisce Mas, the Caribbean-themed cruise will be the finale to the Grand Grape and Wine Parade on September 24, and will be followed by another celebration presented in partnership with BlackOwned905 and St. Catharines Downtown Association.
Giselle Hinds’ father-in-law, Ashborn Hinds, started the float in 1992.
She told Niagara This Week Ashborn came to Canada from Dominica in the 1970s and over the years helped many of his family and friends immigrate.
After settling in Niagara, Hinds said he remembers seeing grapes and wine becoming a time of celebration.
“As more and more West Indians came from the islands to work in the summer months and some eventually settled in Niagara, the Grape and Wine event became a celebration not only of those who lived and visited the area at this time, but the time to celebrate the end of a long season for migrant farmers who spent months away from their families as they prepared to return home,” she said.
Hinds described Ashborn as a builder by trade and an entertainer by heart.
His band Drastic Measures performed many times in Niagara, Hinds said, and participated in many local events such as the Folk Arts Festival, the Welland Rose Parade, the Port Colborne summer festival and the grape and wine parade.
Ashborn passed away earlier this month, and Hinds said her husband Cliff wanted to bring back the festivities in his honor.
“His love of his culture and music has been passed down to his children and in recent years there has been a call to bring Caribbean culture and entertainment to the top of Niagara,” she said. “There’s a whole generation of people with West Indian roots in Niagara who haven’t yet experienced our culture the way we have, and our goal is to give them the opportunity to experience their culture and music as we have.”
Following the parade will be an after party, with a Blackowned905 market.
Natasha Bell, founder of Blackowned905, said she has fond memories of cruising the Caribbean from growing up in the city.
“Everyone would join in the dance after the note,” she said. “There were several years where I was sailing. Since St. Catharines is the twin city for Trinidad and Tobago, I think having the opportunity to connect with Reminisce Mas to bring this experience back to the grape and wine festival will really add the extra spice that the festival needs to create a more diverse experience. .
Hinds hopes there will be a good community turnout Saturday for the return.
“There is a team making costumes as the orders come in, and we invite anyone who has their own costumes from Caribana to join us,” she said. “It’s a last chance to be outside and jump high!”
The Grand Parade will start at 11:00 and will continue through the city center.
It will include more than 50 marching bands, dance and performance artists.
