Kensington Market celebrates the 2011 winter solstice

The 22nd annual Kensington Market Winter Solstice Parade marked the onset of winter last night with a colourful procession through the market that ended in a fiery ceremony at Alexandria Park. Despite a bit of rain to begin the proceedings, the parade went off without a hitch, with lantern-totting participants decked out in a variety of costumes. The music, provided by Samba Squad and some other local performers, was a good fit for the theatrical parade, and helped to foster a general sense of excitement in the air.

But it was fire that stole the show. From the fire-thrower performances mid-parade to the burning of a giant pink hand at the end, the resistance to the cold and dark was, naturally, one of the chief themes of the pagan-inspired event, which beckoned the return of the sun. Here's what it looked like.

PHOTOS

Photos by Dan Cronin