Community Pride at Caribbean Village 2016
With headline performers such as the Queen of Reggae herself, Marcia Griffiths, and soca star Kevin Lyttle, it was no wonder the Caribbean community turned out in full force this past Sunday for the 2nd annual Caribbean Village Festival, held this year at the Lauderhill Sports Park in Lauderhill.
Dress in regal purple and yellow, Griffiths proves her reign still lived on stage, wooing the crowd with her classic hits and leading the entire audience in one massive session of the electric slide (with many not hesitating to join the Queen of Reggae on stage). Ever the “Casanova of soca,” Vincentian Kevin Lyttle also thrilled his fans (particularly the ladies in the audience) with his hits such as “Turn Me On,” ending a spectacular night of Caribbean pop music.
Caribbean Village had definitely stepped up its stage show with this year’s big stars. But perhaps, the most moving and relevant part of Caribbean Village is its dedication to shining the spotlight on talents throughout our diverse Caribbean community. This is the time for different communities to showcase their craft, from the consistently fabulous dancers of Jayadevi Arts Inc., who did Trinidad proud with their chutney dance routine, to the delicious delights of the Antigua and Barbuda Association of South Florida, serving up fresh stew and roasted corn.
The stage was also full with the next generation of performers, from the synchronized melodies of the young Prestige Music Center performers, to elementary school dancers sporting their creole bandana with pride. The festival also showcased our community’s diverse beauty, as audience go a preview of the lovely contestants of the upcoming Miss Jamaica Diaspora pageant, which held their swimsuit competition segment during the festival. With such diverse talents, the Caribbean community never had more reason to be proud.
