LAUDERDALE LAKES – On Sunday June 4th, the City of Lauderdale Lakes will come alive with the pulsating sounds of music and festivity at the 12th annual Unifest multicultural festival, a community celebration that was originally formed as a Caribbean festival, but due to its popularity, has now mushroomed into a multicultural event showcasing all that is good about the “Heart of Broward” as the City is called and attended by thousands.
This year’s theme is “Unifest, harvesting the cultures, 45 years and growing”.
Unifest will include numerous celebrations to include National Caribbean History Month and the 45th anniversary of the City of Lauderdale Lakes, Florida (the “City”).
Unifest will kick-off the month long celebration of the City, founded on June 22, 1961, had farming and grazing as key agricultural components and the population were 300. Now, it is a highly desirable residential and business center and the population is 32,000+.
Unifest, “Harvesting of Culture and celebrating the Diversity of Lauderdale Lakes 45 years and growing” opens with the Bank of America mini carnival street parade with costumes representing each country; Lauderhill Steel Ensemble, a Parade of Flags, a “captivating performance by Ballet Folklorico Aires Panamenos,” and the electrifying battle of the Marching drum line sponsored by State Farm Insurance.
Other components includes; a job fair, citizenship drive, business expo, health fair, domino tournament, a netball rally arts and crafts and food booths. The event will feature performances from Reggae Icon ‘Alton Ellis’, ‘Red Hot Flames’ featuring former lead singer from the internationally acclaimed Soca/Calypso Band ‘the Burning Flames’, cultural reggae performer Annette Brissette, Jazz and R&B singer ‘Ruby Baker’ and the ‘Ruby Baker Band’, Antigua’s Reggae Ambassador ‘Causion’, the multitalented ‘Code Red Band’, International Calypso/Soca band ‘Slice International, Hip Hop and R&B singer ‘Shermon’ and Neo Soul songstress ‘Alana DaCosta’.
The event will also include gospel tribute from a local Church Choir and the Ethnotricity Dance Theatre group.
With the efforts of the Greater Fort Lauderdale Convention and Visitors Bureau, Unifest will promote and significantly increase national and international tourism in Broward County.
The event runs from 11:00am to 10:00pm with the official opening at 2:30pm, conducted by WPLG’s Channel 10 News Anchor/Reporter Neki Mohan.
Proceeds from the event will be used to provide scholarships, a summer student internship program and other activities that GCACC supports in the business community.
