Sophie Sonnenfeld Photo
Elaine Peters and her chihuahua named Coconut danced at the New Haven Caribbean Heritage Festival on Sunday to celebrate her family roots.
Peters’ family emigrated here from Barbados and created one of the first black dance studios in Connecticut, Bowen-Peters School of Dance, in the 1960s. Peters was trained in ballet and jazz at her family’s dance studio. Now in her mid-sixties, Peters said she keeps dancing because of “my spirit.”
The sixth annual version of the Caribbean fest was held at Goffe Street Park from 1 – 7p.m. The festival featured performances, activity booths, and delicious Caribbean-style food. June is designated as National Caribbean American Heritage Month, and people of Caribbean descent were invited to City Hall this week to meet with Mayor Toni Harp.
The organizers of the New Haven Caribbean Heritage Festival and the Jamaican American Connection stated the purpose of National Caribbean American Heritage Month is “to ensure that America is reminded that its greatness lies in its diversity, with Caribbean immigrants from founding father Alexander Hamilton, to journalist Malcolm Gladwell, who have shaped the American dream.”
This year’s planning committee members for the festival included Karaine Smith-Holness (Jamaica), Shermaine Cooke-Edmonds (Dominica), Paula Ferguson (Grenada), Hayden Worrell (Trinidad), Micheal Gittens (Trinidad) and Yvonne Jackson (Jamaica).
To kick off the festival, a parade of dancers from the Hamden Academy of Dance and Music marched to the park.
People drifted from the tents and crowded around the main stage to watch the talented dancers perform.
Mayor Harp marched in the parade and welcomed visitors to the festival. “The Caribbean population has done so much for our city, our state, and our country!” Harp declared. She said it is important for New Haven to “recognize the significance of Caribbean people and their descendants in the history and culture of the United States.”
After the parade arrived, kids lined up in front of the face painting booth. Jayce Mcduffie, 4, picked out a vivid tiger pattern at the Honey Bunch Face Painting station.
Terry Miller, Chyann Houser, and Heaven Hodge live down the road from Goffe Street Park. Although they’re not Caribbean, Miller said, they “just came out to see the festival and parade.”
Chantal Thomas set up a tent for her business, Amazing Ackee, at the festival. The Windsor-based bakery sells vegan patties, Jerk Spiced Eggplant, and Lentil in Smoked Paprika Crust. Thomas originally started Amazing Akee as a food blog, but “people kept asking if any of the food made was for sale.” Thomas ended up opening Amazing Ackee last June.
Thomas is from Jamaica and has “been cooking as long as I can remember.” She said at most Caribbean style restaurants “there are few vegan options, most of which are not very exciting.” Thomas said she is able to reach the “underserved niche” of vegan Caribbean options through “showcasing Connecticut produce.”
Qulen Wright and his wife Elisha Hazel, opened Ninth Square Market II Caribbean Cuisine on George Street two years ago, also added vegan flavor to the festival Sunday. Wright has been vegan for over 20 years and crafts a plethora of vegan options for the restaurant.
Wright is vegan “for health and religious reasons.” Traditional Caribbean cuisine includes ox tails and jerk chicken. When Wright introduces his customers to jerk tofu, many “are surprised by how great the vegan options are.”
Hundreds of people stopped by the event roaming around to munch and mingle. Some stayed for hours, propping up lawn chairs to watch a dazzling line-up of singers and dancers celebrating Caribbean culture.