Kylla Herbert, the president of the South Jersey Caribbean Cultural and Development Organization (SJCCDO), says heavy thundershowers on Saturday, July 18 and Aug. 22, forced the postponement of the South Jersey Caribbean Festival at Wiggins Park on the Camden Waterfront, Camden, New Jersey.
Herbert told Caribbean life on Wednesday, Sept. 9, that the event will now take place on Saturday, Sept. 26.
She said Barbadian-born Soca Superstar Rupee will headline the 26th Annual South Jersey Caribbean Festival from 2:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.
She said Rupee will perform some of his more popular hits, including “Tempted to Touch,” “Jump,” and “What Happens in the Party.”
“Rupee has been a major presence in Caribbean and international music for more than 25 years,” Herbert said. “His signature hit, ‘Tempted to Touch,’ helped bring Soca music to audiences around the world, making his appearance at the South Jersey Caribbean Festival an exciting highlight of this year’s celebration.”
Herbert said also others performing at the festival include Alex Kwabena Colon and the Garifuna collective from Belize, Klymaxx Band from Antigua, Orchestra LA 95 from Puerto Rico, Niger Ali from Jamaica, Monet Esbee from the Bahamas, the Philadelphia Pan Stars Steel Orchestra from Trinidad and Tobago, and more.
“The festival is a free, family-friendly community celebration of Caribbean culture, music, food, arts, heritage and traditions,” Herbert said. “For more than a quarter century, the South Jersey Caribbean Festival has brought together Caribbean people, families, community members and visitors from throughout New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware and beyond.
“The festival will offer attendees an opportunity to experience the diversity and vibrancy of the Caribbean through live musical entertainment, cultural performances, Caribbean food, arts and crafts, community vendors, children’s activities and cultural presentations representing the rich traditions of the Caribbean region,” she added. “The South Jersey Caribbean Festival is more than a music festival. It is a celebration of who we are, where we come from and the cultural traditions we want to preserve for future generations.
“We want people of every background to come, enjoy the music, experience our food, learn about our culture, and celebrate together,” Herbert continued. “For 26 years, the festival has remained committed to being a free cultural event, making Caribbean arts and culture accessible to families regardless of their economic circumstances.
“One of the things that is most important to us is keeping the South Jersey Caribbean Festival free and accessible to the entire community,” she said. “Many families may not have the opportunity to travel to the Caribbean or pay expensive admission prices to attend major cultural events. We bring the Caribbean experience directly to the community so that everyone can participate. We rely on sponsorship and donations to make this day possible.”
Herbert said the festival takes place at the scenic Wiggins Park on the Camden Waterfront, offering views of the Philadelphia skyline and providing a beautiful outdoor setting for a day of Caribbean music, culture and family entertainment.
“For one day on the Camden Waterfront, people from many different Caribbean islands, cultures, generations, and communities come together as one Caribbean family,” she said. “You may see flags from St. Kitts and Nevis, Barbados, Jamaica, Trinidad and Tobago, Haiti, the Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico, Guyana, Grenada, St. Lucia, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Antigua and Barbuda, the Bahamas, and many other Caribbean nations and territories,” she said.
“The South Jersey Caribbean Festival has become one of the region’s longstanding celebrations of Caribbean culture,” she continued. “What began as a vision to create greater cultural awareness and community unity has grown into an annual gathering that welcomes multiple generations of Caribbean families and supporters.”