Caribana looks for more sponsorship

The Caribana parade is scheduled to take place in Toronto Saturday, and officials expect it will draw a million people to the city's lakeshore. Yet despite being one of the city's largest cultural festivals, Caribana is still losing money.
Organizers hope with more corporate sponsorship they will be able to turn the festival's financial picture around.
They say most of the events at the two week festival are free so it's hard to come up with the $1.5 million needed to host the celebration.
Peter Marcelline, a festival organizer, says Caribana generates about $2 million for Toronto's economy every year.
"Everybody makes money out of Caribana. We are the only ones who don't make money, so something has to be done to reverse that pattern so that we come out ahead, instead of barely breaking even or [losing money]."
The festival would like more corporate sponsorship. Companies such as Guinness, Ford and Western Union are already supporting the festival. But Caribana is still $50,000 in debt.
Many of the participants take part at their own expense.
Susan Ishmael was crowned Queen of Caribana Thursday night. She is one of the lucky ones. The cost of her extravagant $6,000 costume was partially covered by a sponsor.
"With the wind hopefully [my costume] will start to move and billow and hopefully the right effects will be created under the lights."
This is the third straight year Ishmael has been crowned queen. She will be one of the participants in Saturday's parade.
Police warn party-goers to protect against heat exhaustion
An extra million people dancing on the streets of Toronto for Caribana during hot, muggy weather could pose some problems.
Police are warning Caribana revellers to take it easy this weekend.
They are reminding parade-goers to wear sun block and a sun hat, drink lots of water or juicenot alcoholand to watch for signs of heat exhaustion such as headache, weakness, and confusion.
Registered nurse Karen Gaunt, who manages the emergency room at St. Michael's Hospital says the key is taking in and retaining fluids.
She says you should drink, even if you are not thirsty, but notes alcohol and coffee are diuretics that cause fluids to leave the body quickly.
Gaunt also says people should think about not dancing in the sun, because a person can lose a lot of vital salts through perspiration.