Celebrating Caribbean cultural heritage: Charleston Carifest 2009

Image by Flickr user kvitshImage by 20090602-cari.jpg

Get ready for masquerades, street parades, steelpan bands, cultural dancers, a limbo contest, a Caribbean marketplace, and loads more as the Charleston Carifest comes to Charleston.

The festival is a celebration of Caribbean American heritage and runs from Thursday, June 11, to Saturday, June 13.

Here's a breakdown of this years festivities:

Carifest Symposium
- Thursday, June 11, 6:00 PM - 9:00 PM
- Arnold Hall (Jewish Center), College of Charleston, SC

Masquerade Fete
- Friday, June 12, 2009
- Our Glass, 1750 Savannah Highway, Charleston, SC 29407
- Music by Island Vibez
- $10.00

Carnival Street Parade and Park Festival
- Saturday, June 13, 2009; 2:00 PM - 9:30 PM
- Brittle Bank Park, 180 Lockwood Blvd., Charleston, SC 29403 (across from Charleston Police Station)
- Cultural Festival in the Park- Steel Bands, Reggae/Soca Music, Caribbean Dancers, Indian Dancers, Caribbean Food, Drink, Crafts. Children’s tent area.
- $5.00 in advance $10.00 at gate

Carnival Street Parade 4:00 PM
- Ann Street to King Street to Carolina Street, cross Rutledge, to Fishburne into Brittle Bank Park.
- Colourful Revellers in Caribbean Carnival Costumes playing Mas through downtown Charleston.
- Available Feeds

Performers
- Ben Hazel Primary School of Hampton County
- Brunson Elementary of Hampton County SteelBand
- Buen Aché Dance Company
- CAJ-1
- Carifest Caribbean Dancers
- Slice International Reggae/Soca Band
- Whale Branch Middle School of Beaufort County SteelBand

The featured country at this year's Carifest is St. Lucia.