It’s going be a very busy and entertaining time in Belleville’s Downtown District this weekend.
Friday night it’s the BIA’s Downtown at Dusk festival and Saturday the city’s first ever Caribbean Festival.
Karen Clayton-Babb, who came to Canada from Jamaica and the Cayman Islands, says the local Caribbean community has worked hard to put on a good show with a distinct tropical rhythm and flavour.
“So lots of bright colors and of course music, dance, and food. Music and dance is usually the highlight. You just dance and listen to the music, it’s just happy!”
Clayton-Babb, the Chief Nurse Practitioner and Clinic Director of the Belleville Nurse Practitioner-led Clinic and MC for the festival, says the idea for the celebration came from the city’s Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Committee led by Councillor Sean Kelly.
“We (Caribbean community) heard the idea and right away got excited about getting involved and we’re sure we’ll get a good response. The city has been excellent to work with.”
Master of Ceremonies for the Belleville Caribbean Festival Karen Clayton-Babb. (Photo: submitted)
As many as 30 Caribbean nations will be represented at the festival. There will be Caribbean food on offer, costume dancers, steel pan players and local musicians through the day starting at 11 a.m.
The feature entertainment will be a performance by Juno award winner Sean Jones and his band The Righteous Echo at 5 p.m.
Below you can hear a snippet of Jones and the band performing “Sunny.”
Sean Jones and The Righteous Echo. (Photo: Facebook)
