ATLANTA – The City of Atlanta comes alive on Saturday, May 24, 2008 with the festive celebration of the 20th Annual Atlanta Caribbean Carnival-the grand finale of a month-long schedule of carnival activities.
Leading up to this day are other major events such as: Pan in the Park on Saturday, May 3, and the King & Queen of the Bands Competition and 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 Atlanta Caribbean Carnival Bandleaders Association (ACCBA). “As we celebrate our 20th Anniversary, we have worked tirelessly to organize a valuable experience that brings the essence of Carnival from the Caribbean into the City of Atlanta, and beyond. Our goal has been to provide quality events that not only entertain, but also engage people of diverse backgrounds in a wide array of activities and entertainment that stimulate a deeper understanding and appreciation 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 at the Festival Village on Auburn Avenue (between Jesse Hill Jr. and Hilliard) at 2 PM. Through the ongoing festivities at the Festival Village (from 11 AM-10 PM), the historic Auburn district will be transformed into a mini Caribbean get-away, with a variety of sights, sounds and tastes of the Caribbean. This includes food, arts and crafts vendors, an interactive children’s area, as well as live onstage entertainment-which begins at 4 PM.
Expected throughout the day, are more than 20,000 diverse local, national and international audiences coming together to revel in this annual festival.
This year’s theme “Unity through Diversity,” pays homage to the vast range of people of the Diaspora, who are rooted in a strong sense of pride in the rich Afro-Caribbean heritage. It also recognizes the sincere drive to unite the many Caribbean sub-cultures, organizations and events, while creating long-term partnerships with non-Caribbean entities and organizations.
The goal is to build upon the strength of cultural diversity to stimulate a sense of “unity” and promote the ongoing growth and viability of the respective communities.
