The Broward Center for the Performing Arts will kick off the New Year with the Fourth Annual Rhythm by the River: A Festival Celebrating Caribbean and Black Voices.
The free event, filled with music, cultural workshops, and family-friendly activities, will take place on Sunday, January 26, from 2 to 6 p.m. at Esplanade Park in downtown Fort Lauderdale.
Sponsored by Baptist Health and JM Family Enterprises, Inc., with support from TD Charitable Foundation, the festival highlights the rich cultural contributions of the Caribbean and Black communities through a dynamic lineup of live performances and interactive experiences.
The main stage will showcase talent starting with the Dillard Center for the Arts Jazz Ensemble, followed by the smooth, soulful sounds of Haitian-American artist La Vie. Jamaican reggae trio The Fantells will add Caribbean rhythms, and the festival will close with a lively performance by Vincentian soca star Kevin Lyttle, renowned for his international hit “Turn Me On.”
Attendees can also participate in free workshops, including the Moving Music Museum with Michael Gil and African Dance with Anita MacBeth, held in the Mary N. Porter Riverview Ballroom. Outdoor activities in the Baptist Health Activity Zone include arts and crafts, face painting, interactive games, and a community mural.
Caribbean and soul-inspired cuisine will be available from vendors like J&J Soul Food, Tropical Soul Food, and Reggae Beets, along with sweet treats from Sweet Sensations by Charlene. Community partners will also host informational booths throughout the park.
The event is part of the Broward Center’s Arts for Action: Black Voices initiative, which uses the arts as a platform to address social justice and racial equity.
For more details on the Rhythm by the River Festival or to get involved with the Arts for Action: Black Voices initiative, visit BrowardCenter.org or email artsforaction@browardcenter.org.
