Congress or Carnival?

I don't remember anyone else from Detroit going to the Winter Salsa Carnival last year so I'll chime in. The Congress is almost certainly the "bigger" event and with everything right in the same hotel its a pretty good event in which to really just spend the weekend taking lessons, watching perfomances and dancing all night. You don't have a lot of options for food in the hotel, but a 5 minute walk and there are some OK restaurants. There is generally a pretty good Detroit contingent, so you will also know lots of people. The workshops are generally great and they attract top name instructor/performers. They also tend to have a good amount of diversity in the workshops as far as styles go. All in all I think its pretty good. The cost of the hotel is relatively low and with some roomates you can do it for about $60 per night. The train is pretty cheap and its not too bad a drive either.

I only went to the Saturday night of the Winter Salsa Carnival so I have a fairly limited experience, but it was really a lot of fun and I liked the dress up theme. They have expanded the workshops quite a lot, but its probably a bit more limited than a full congress. So, while the one night of dancing in the Berkley Church is a lot of fun, it may not be the most cost efficient dance opportunity. You can find some less expensive hotels in downtown Toronto and the overall package is cheaper because the Ball is really the big draw for the Carnival. But it may also be more difficult to get others to go for 3 days and get the congress like experience and best experience for your $.

I really recommend both since they each have something unique to offer, but if you have to choose one, I'd say Chicago. Hope that helps.

Geo-