The second annual Afro-Caribbean Festival will return to Lions Park in Paris on Saturday, September 7, 2024.
The free event, known as Afro-CariBrant, will be hosted by Darmont GivesBack, a non-profit organization working to empower communities to be inclusive and resilient through education, health and equal opportunities.
“Darmont GivesBack is a way of giving back to society, reaching out to people and attending to the needs of the community,” said Tobi Adedayo, CEO of Darmont GivesBack. “It’s really about giving back as much as we can and finding people that also want to give back. We want to form a real team where we can all work to create a happy environment that is conducive for all.”
She added that the whole idea behind the Afro-CariBrant Festival was to promote a thriving community and to show the diversity that exists within the County.
“We’re looking to have people come out from far and beyond so they can recognize the beauty of the County and its diversity, you know?” she said. “We really want to bring people together from various backgrounds, and celebrate the cultural understanding and the unity amongst us.”
On the day, the Afro-CariBrant Festival will consist of plenty of activities for all ages including a Kidzone, games, arts, crafts, live entertainment and music, as well as authentic cuisines. Guests are also encouraged to participate in the Afro-CariBrant parade and the fashion parade.
As well, artisan vendors will be on site selling jewelry, paintings, sculptures, clothing and more, while this year will feature 13 food and drink vendors.
“This year we have a lineup of about 13 food vendors whereas last year we only had seven,” said Adedayo. “We take our feedback very seriously, and looking at the feedback from last year, people really wanted more culinary options for them to explore as well as some shorter lines, and so we really took that into consideration when planning for this year.”
As part of their efforts to go above and beyond being just a festival, Essay Folami, Director of programs for Darmont GivesBack, said they will also be launching the Afro-CariBrant Business Directory.
“One of the things we’re trying to do this year is actually take it up a notch and see if there’s more we can do beyond coming together once a year for a festival,” said Folami. “Like we’ve said, we’re all about community and so, this year we’ll be introducing the Afro-CariBrant Business Directory, where we’ll be compiling a directory of African and Caribbean owned businesses in the County of Brant and neighboring areas. It’s a testament to the entrepreneurial spirit that thrives within our community and so people will have a chance to sign up for that and we’ll be offering a discounted price for those that choose to opt in on the day of.”
Overall, the event will be a celebration of the rich culture, traditions and people of the African-Caribbean community.
“This year’s festival promises to just be an authentic and a dynamic exploration of the various threads that make up our shared cultural fabric, that’s why we’re calling it a ‘tapestry of culture,’” said Folami. “It’s about reconnecting with your roots or discovering new perspectives and to celebrate the richness of our heritage and the unity that binds us together.”
Kimberly De Jong’s reporting is funded by the Canadian government through its Local Journalism Initiative.The funding allows her to report rural and agricultural stories from Blandford-Blenheim and Brant County. Reach her at kimberly.dejong@brantbeacon.ca.
