The South Jersey Caribbean Cultural and Development Organization (SJCCDO) presents the 15th Annual South Jersey Caribbean Festival at Wiggins Park on the Camden, NJ Waterfront on Saturday July 11, 2015 from 12pm to 8pm.
The 15th Annual South Jersey Caribbean Festival is a FREE cultural event that showcases Caribbean art, music, food, and dance. The 2015 South Jersey Caribbean Festival will feature diverse aspects of the Caribbean including Fire Eaters, Limbo Dancers, Salsa Dancers, Steel Drum, Reggae and Calypso/Soca Music. This multi-cultural family event attracts people from the New Jersey and Philadelphia regions with its dynamic entertainment and Caribbean food favorites such as Jerk Chicken, Oxtails, Curry Shrimp, Roti and more. There will be free activities in the children’s tent, community information, health screenings, Caribbean food vendors and FREE giveaways.
The 15th Anniversary of the South Jersey Caribbean Festival will showcase the vibrant colors and traditions of the Caribbean on the Camden Waterfront next to Adventure Aquarium and the Susquehanna Bank Center. International and local artists will engage the crowd with energetic cultural dance and musical performances on the Wiggins Park concert stage. The concert stage entertainment will include International recording Artist Curtis C from St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Lima from Trinidad and Tobago, Hamalali Wayunagu Garifuna Folkloric Dance Company from Belize, Nu Image Band from Dominica and more. Also performing will be the Soca Fitness Dancers, Philadelphia Pan Stars and the Kaos Mas Band, winners of the 2015 Philly Caribbean Carnival. Kaos Masquerade Dancers will delight the crowd dressed in colorful Mardi Gras style costumes adorned with sequins and feathers adding to Island atmosphere on the Camden Waterfront.
There will also be representation from Camden NJ based groups such as the Unity Community Center’s African Dance and Drum Ensemble, Camden’s Sophisticated Sisters (CSS), and Poet Ras Niger Ali. There will also be a tribute to the organization’s founder, the late Nkem Tshombe, native of Caribbean Country of St. Kitts and Nevis and Camden City resident for 30 years.
About SJCCDO
The South Jersey Caribbean Cultural and Development Organization (SJCCDO) is a non-profit 501 (c) 3 organization established for charitable and educational purposes. The SJCCDO’s mission is to promote understanding and awareness of Caribbean culture through arts, cultural and educational programs.
Since 2001, the SJCCDO has provided educational and cultural activities to residents in the Southern New Jersey region. Many of the SJCCDO’s activities have taken place in the City of Camden providing programming for disadvantaged youth. Programs include Steel Drum workshops, cultural dance performances and an Annual Caribbean Festival.
SJCCDO’s Executive Director, Kylla Herbert shares her goals for the next decade:
SJCCDO’s Goals and Objectives:
• Develop year-round educational programs to reach an even greater audience
• Establish the Nkem Tshombe Foundation and Scholarship Fund to support the educational goals of underprivileged students
• Attract more funders through corporate entities, foundations and individuals
• Increase organization membership and participation
• Create an Island-Style Parade from the main streets of Camden to Wiggins Park on the Camden Waterfront
For more information on SJCCDO or to make a donation visit sjCaribbean.org
