Caribbean Fest Cruises Back for a Bigger, Bolder Second Year

Energetic dances spilled into the aisles and drew audience participation. *Photo: @therealmidwoodhs*

By CIERA MARSHALL, SIERRA VICTOR-OKORO, BINTA MBYE, and JOSEPH JEAN

with contributions by Jaden Barnswell and David Sampson

For its second year at Midwood, Caribbean Fest turned up the heat on March 27 as the doors opened to a vibrant display of island vibes and rich cultures.

The show featured modeling, poetry, and lots of popular music and dance including Haitian kompa, Trinidadian soca, and Jamaican reggae, under the guiding concept of a cruise ship going through the Caribbean and making stops at each island.

Walking into the auditorium, spectators were greeted with lights, pamphlets, and a huge crowd filling up the room with excitement.

“When I first came out I was a little nervous because I didn't know what to expect and I wasn't ready for such a large crowd,” said Arianna Pierre ‘26.

The audience was enthusiastic throughout the show, with members waving their country’s flags and joining in the dancing.

“The show was good, and I was wildin’ out waving my Jamaican flag,” Tiffany Peat, a forensic teacher, said.

Isaiah Harris ’24, a model, praised the crowd's energy. “The hype of the auditorium made me feel amazing,” he said.

Mailey Lamy ’26, a dancer and model, said, “I was about to have a panic attack, but I felt alive when I got on stage.”

The show started off with the Indo-Caribbean countries and a poem about Guyana by Brittney Moore '26, followed by dancing to the song “Impossible” by Adrian Dutchin.

As the ship landed in Trinidad, dancers swarmed the stage and aisles wearing all black two-piece shirts and shorts, with Trinidadian flags in their hands, waving them around as they danced to songs by Leadpipe and Jus-Jay King, Subance and Uncle Ellis, and Machel Montano and Angela Hunt. The crowd got up and danced with them, as one energetic woman in the front yelled along at the top of her lungs.

Niya Avent ‘25 represented Guyana as a model. “Starting off the show, I was nervous, but seeing the crowd hype me up made me feel like I was that girl,” said Avent.

The ship continued on to the Eastern Caribbean, where there was more acting and a performance by the Grenada team, who danced to “Wicked Jab” by Tallpree, “Party Bad” by Mr. Killa, and “Dis is Mas” by Voice before being theatrically run off the stage by the “pirates” from St. Vincent, who danced to “Brave” by Dynamite.

“We had a lot of students wanting to participate this year either because they found enjoyment from last year's Caribbean Fest or because it was their senior year and they wanted to get a chance to be involved in something for the school, so it was really nice getting students with different cultures and backgrounds,” said Ms. Princessa Dominique, one of the show’s faculty advisors.

The leaders for this year’s Caribbean Fest built on last year’s debut, giving each country more stage time for dancing and modeling.

“I was in the last Caribbean Fest so I kind of knew what to expect when it came to being a director,” said Chelsie Chambers ‘24. “Now that I'm experienced, I finally had the chance to take the job.”

Jessica Sweet ‘25 introduced the Western Caribbean modeling segment. “Starting off modeling for my country was fun and nerve-racking at the same time,” she said, “but after hearing the welcoming cheers of the crowd, I stopped caring and had fun."

Many performers took on multiple roles. Sweet also modeled for Guyana and St. Vincent, and Jenaya Urena ‘26 took part in scenes for Costa Rica, St. Vincent, and Trinidad.

“Since I was doing five dances and modeling, I couldn't learn all the dances at once,” said Urena. “I had to learn it at home so I wouldn’t mess up on timing.”

Haiti, one of the most highly anticipated segments from the event, started off with a dance to “Pa Gen Kote” by Tony Mix. At first there were only girls on the floor, but then boys came out of the side doors, adding their own little spice.

Next up was the Haitian dance called kompa, characterized by an infectious beat, lively melodies, and soulful lyrics sung in Haitian Creole or French. Seeing the performers dance close to each other and look into each other's eyes, the crowd felt the liveliness of the dance.

Haiti closed things off with the songs “Madada,” “Lave Le A,” and “Ne Doute Pas,” and all of the performers came out one last time to thank everyone as “Yuh Bad” by Preedy played.

“Our way of bonding with each other and our culture felt strong,” said Sephora Fort ‘24.

When Caribbean Fest returns for its third outing next year, be sure to buy a ticket and join in the excitement. Or better yet, give us a chance to see you on stage performing!