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 The Essence of Caribbean Experience in Altanta (2008)
The 20th Annual Atlanta Caribbean Carnival Brings the Essence of the Caribbean Experience into Downtown Atlanta
By Jacqueline Louis
The Grand Finale of Carnival Events - The Parade & Festival Village on Saturday, May 24, 2008
The City of Atlanta will come alive on Saturday, May 24, 2008 with the festive celebration of the 20th Annual AtlantaCaribbean Carnival-the grand finale of a month-long schedule of carnival activities. Leading up to this day are othermajor events such as: Pan in the Park on Saturday, May 3, and the King & Queen of the Bands Competition &Carnival Weekend Kick-Off on Thursday, May 22. All events are open to the public and suitable for the entire family. “We are not only excited, but also, proud of this year’s festivities,” says Annette Lemonn, President of the AtlantaCaribbean Carnival Bandleaders Association (ACCBA). “As we celebrate our 20th Anniversary, we have workedtirelessly to organize a valuable experience that brings the essence of Carnival from the Caribbean into the City ofAtlanta, and beyond. Our goal has been to provide quality events that not only entertain, but also engage people ofdiverse backgrounds in a wide array of activities and entertainment that stimulate a deeper understanding andappreciation of the Caribbean culture.” The main Atlanta Caribbean Carnival celebrations will be held in downtown Atlanta on Saturday, May 24. Included,will be a Parade of Bands that begins at 11 AM on West Peachtree, marches through Peachtree Street, and ends atthe Festival Village on Auburn Avenue (between Jesse Hill Jr. and Hilliard) at 2 PM. Through the ongoing festivitiesat the Festival Village (from 11 AM-10 PM), the historic Auburn district will be transformed into a mini Caribbean getaway,with a variety of sights, sounds and tastes of the Caribbean. This includes food, arts and crafts vendors, aninteractive children’s area, as well as live onstage entertainment-which begins at 4 PM. Expected throughout theday, are more than 20,000 diverse local, national and international audiences coming together to revel in this annualfestival. This year’s theme “Unity through Diversity,” pays homage to the vast range of people of the Diaspora, who are rootedin a strong sense of pride in the rich Afro-Caribbean heritage. It also recognizes the sincere drive to unite the manyCaribbean sub-cultures, organizations and events, while creating long-term partnerships with non-Caribbean entitiesand organizations. The goal is to build upon the strength of cultural diversity to stimulate a sense of “unity” andpromote the ongoing growth and viability of the respective communities. Main sponsors of the Atlanta Caribbean Carnival events include: Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, VPRecords, Jamaica Tourist Board, Renaissance Hotel Downtown Atlanta, Radio One, Caribworldnews.com, POSH,Jamrock Magazine, Trini Jungle Juice, Atlanta Journal Constitution, among other promotional partners. For media inquiries and/or interviews, contact Jacqueline Louis at jacquelinelouis@msn.com or 404-664-0541. Forgeneral information, contact Annette Lemonn at 404-587-5195, info@atlantacarnival.org.
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Views expressed in the article are those of the author and are not necessarily the opinions of CaribbeanChoice, its staff or members.
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