Festivals and cultural events Caraïbes

This festival offers a series of six cultural events taking place on Thursday, 5 Thursday between mid-June and early August. Performances of various music artists from the Bahamas, a Junkanoo parade, fire dancers, Emptiness dance contest (typical Caribbean) and a myriad of stands for drinking and eating.

On 18 November 2003, the bicentenary of the Battle of Vertières marked the victory of the indigenous army on the Napoleonic troops. On this occasion, former President Aristide delivered his speech to several thousand Haitians and foreigners: he praised the historical facts and took a position on the current situation on the island. He was in favour of national reconciliation and criticized the international community for its neo-colonial tendencies, according to him. The opposition, for its part, considered Aristide's speech inappropriate. Finally, only Cape-Haïtien showed real interest in this anniversary. Most of Haiti's other cities remained indifferent to this event.

Zouk lovers, this is the festival for you: the biggest names in this West Indian musical style come together for this annual event. The program includes singing competitions for both live groups and DJs (with audience voting), called "Les tremplins du FIZ". It's also an opportunity to discover local artists (visual artists, painters, sculptors and poets) at exhibitions dedicated to them, and to take part in round-table discussions, concerts and shows devoted to zouk.

Founded in 1852 in honour of Lafayette by Haitian slaves, inspired by the dances (minuet) of their French masters, implanted in the region in the early th century.

This foundation, which has been in existence since 2015, offers music lessons to local underprivileged children to give them the opportunity to grow and even find a vocation. If you wish, it is possible to get involved as a volunteer by filling out the form on the NGO's website. The foundation also organizes the Jazz Festival (early November) which is one of the biggest cultural and musical events in the Caribbean. It takes place in several cities like Santiago, Cabarete or Puerto Plata.

This festival, which takes place either the first or second week of December, offers a varied and dense programme centred around Caribbean jazz. Each year, artists such as Richard Bona and Alfredo Rodriguez, Omar Sosa & Yilian Cañizares, Thomas Enhco, Hervé Celcal, Marialy Pacheco, Doego El Cigala, perform. With this event, the Afro-English jazz scene and the young Martinican scene are in the spotlight. On the program: many free concerts and an anthology of Martinican and international artists.