The spirit of Toronto's Caribbean Carnival was alive and dancing at Fort York on Sunday.

After years of winding down the Carnival weekend on Toronto Island, several hundred revellers converged at the historic site to enjoy traditional Caribbean music and cuisine.

"The festival for me is about culture and diversity and that we have a chance to be a part of that," said Wendy Jones, band leader of Pan Fantasy Steelband – an 80-person steel pan group that's been performing at Caribana and other events for 30 years.

Jones, who works as a teacher, said the band represents a message she continues to share with the students she has mentored over the years.

"Don't lose your culture. Embrace it and enhance it," she said. "That's what we do."

Chris Hamilton travelled from Virginia with several members of her family. Dancing with a big smile, her first Caribbean Carnival experience has been a great one.

"Oh I love it. I'd come back," she said. "There are people from all over. It's really nice. I like the steelband ...  and the parade (Saturday), that was the big thing, just beautiful."