SAUGERTIES, NY – The 2024 Hudson Valley Caribbean Carnival drew a crowd Saturday who lined up for authentic Caribbean music, cuisine and culture.
The event is held in honor of the carnival celebrations that take place throughout the Caribbean and traditionally symbolize the end of the harvest season.
The carnival was held at Cantine Memorial Field and attracted numerous vendors and organizations to Saugerties. The food offered at the carnival included several traditional dishes from countries ranging from St. Kitts and Nevis and Grenada to Jamaica and Trinidad and Tobago.
Festivities that day included New York stilt-walking group Moqo Jumbies, steel drum bands, reggae bands and a dance group from Aruba. A fashion show featured Harlem designers, all of whom have developmental disabilities and are of Haitian, African and Jamaican descent.
A parade with musical performances and participants from the community was originally planned for the carnival, but it was canceled due to problems with a generator, organizers said.
The carnival was organized by Lake Katrine-based nonprofit Seasoned Gives, which promotes entrepreneurship in BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, People of Color) communities and connects marginalized groups with local resources and support. Tamika Dunkley, executive director of Seasoned Gives, co-founded the carnival with her husband, Martin.
Dunkley said she was overjoyed to see people enjoying their time at Carnival. “It’s beautiful, just as we imagined it would be,” she said. “Thousands of people come here to enjoy and celebrate Caribbean culture.”
Dunkley said it’s important that events that focus on diverse populations are held in smaller towns like Saugerties. “Everyone drives to the big cities to attend these events, and there are many reasons for that. But we think it’s really important to break down any barriers that people see in holding events in smaller towns,” she said. “There’s so much diversity and beauty to offer.”
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