Tia Tuke is congratulated by organizer Johnny Lombardi after she won Miss Bikini contest at Centre Island during the CHIN International Picnic, July 6, 1980.Steve Patriquen/The Globe and Mail
One of Toronto's most well-known summer multicultural festivals is axing its bikini pageant, saying it distracts from its message.
The CHIN Picnic, which is marking its 50th anniversary this year, will no longer feature a bikini contest, president Lenny Lombardi said.
"Our true message is that of celebrating our cultural diversity and that point is best enhanced by focusing on what we do best, celebrating cultural diversity through information, music and entertainment and not distract from that message with a bikini pageant," he said in a statement Wednesday.
The bikini contest, which in recent years has featured his-and-her events, helped draw attention to the picnic and the greater cause of multiculturalism, Mr. Lombardi said, but he noted that Toronto's demographic makeup has shifted dramatically in the past 50 years.
"Times have changed and as much fun as we had, and support we received producing it each year, we believe that our focus today should be clearly directed to the reality of our mandate of multiculturalism and cultural diversity," he said.
The free summer picnic, scheduled this year for June 17-19, is hosted by CHIN Radio, which bills itself as Ontario's first multicultural and multilingual radio station.
Jill Mahoney