"We have a magnificent group of veteran and talented young calypso and Soca artists. The orchestra, The Sunshine Band, is led by Don Diaz, son of the famed Cyril Diaz," explains Michelle Young, coordinator of the Festival & Tent. "Fans of every age and nationality will enjoy five tantalizing nights of strictly calypso and soca plus celebration of Trinidad & Tobago 51st independence birthday." "Come show love and support to our artists that live amongst us," says Yankey Boy who sang in the 2013 Trinbago Unified Calypsonian Organization (TUCO) Calypso Tent and in this year's Trinidad and Tobago (International) Soca Monarch.
Washington DC's Caribbean Carnival, which is in its 11th year, takes more than 500,000 Caribbean people "back home" with its parade of life, color and unity. To the dismay of many attendees, the parade moved from its original home on Georgia Avenue to the downtown area, where the white, business-class atmosphere with its federal buildings made some feel as though their culture was an exhibit in an art museum.
Friday night also doubled as a welcome party and was dubbed 'Inferno' for all the festival patrons to party to a few of Jamaica's finest entertainers. The night's DJs straight from the rock were DJ Marvin, Christuff from Renaissance, and Fame FM's DJ Nicco, who afforded patrons the opportunity to party the night away to the latest dance hits while mingling with a few of South Florida's socialites and movers and shakers. 'Dubbed the biggest Caribbean food festival in the United States, the Jamaican Jerk Festival has the reputation for delivering an experience of the highest quality to patrons'