Southern exposure

Denis Mayers works as a financial planner, David Mason is in sales, and his cousin Trevor Mason (better known as DJ Mace) works for Hot 89.9 radio. But they all live close to each other in the Avalon area and they all share Caribbean roots. “It’s a pretty happy marriage so far,” laughs David. “It works well because we bring all our strengths together.”

David says the organization and promotion of Carivibe “is really like a separate 9 to 5 job all on its own.” Booking the acts for the Saturday, June 20 event at Rideau Carleton Raceway takes up plenty of time, along with everything related to venue setup and promoting the celebration. “We’re trying to cover not every single base, but enough bases so that someone can walk in and say, ‘Wow, this must be something of what it’s like to be in the Caribbean,’” he explains.

A big part of the connection David feels to the Caribbean is through music, which takes centre-stage at Carivibe. The two indoor rooms will be reserved for DJs – one focused on reggae and the other on more mainstream music – while the outdoor patios will feature soca tunes and a live steel band.

There will also be Caribbean arts and crafts and costumes on display, as well as a variety of Caribbean cuisine. It’s all a way to share Caribbean culture with the Nation’s Capital, David says, at another point in the year besides the parade that is held annually towards the end of summer. “We love the music, we love the food – we love what it’s all about,” adds David, also a coach for his son’s Gloucester-Cumberland Wolverines basketball team. “We feel really good about being from Caribbean descent, so why not be able to share that with other people that don’t experience it all the time? “Plus, it gives us the chance to get at those people that have those same feelings as we do and get everybody to commune in one place. Everyone’s learning from each other, so it’s a pretty positive attitude and environment we’re trying to provide.” For more information, visit www.carivibe.com