Annual Haitian Flag Day celebration

Annual Haitian Flag Day celebration|Annual Haitian Flag Day celebration
Photo courtesy of Haiti Culture Exchange|Photo courtesy of Haiti Culture Exchange

May is a month full of celebrations and aside from high school proms and graduations, it is also Haiti Heritage Month.

Various organizations clamor together to create various events in celebration of the month including Haiti Cultural Exchange (HCX) haiticulturalx.org with their annual outdoor Flag Day event at Parkside Plaza on Ocean and Parkside avenues.

“We had seen in New York a number of different festivals happening,” Regine Roumain, executive director of HCX, said. “Because Haiti Cultural Exchange has been working to promote and present Haitian culture since 2009, we were like ‘let’s try to have this festival that would really group all of our programs and test out some new and innovative programs in a six-week kind of festival.’ To raise the profile of our artists, our culture and to allow for diverse audiences to experience Haitian culture. The Flag Day event was part of the kick-off weekend.”

Now a stand-a-lone, annual event, HCX includeded this flag day celebration as part of a six-week festival entitled Selabrasyon. Selabrasyon will operate as a bi-annual event allowing for the organization to focus on other pillar events including the upcoming Haiti Film Fest on May 16.

Last year, Haitians spent the day celebrating Haiti’s culture through live dance and drumming performances, arts and crafts, and even face painting in front of the Parkside Avenue Q Train stop. “It’s going to follow a lot of the same model. We’re going to have vendors, face painting, we’re expanding our arts activities for youth. It will still be a similar format with live music performances, live drumming, the vendors,” Roumain said.

Grab your friends, family and flag — no matter what country you represent — and enjoy a day of outdoor fun with HCX and their vendors Sunday, May 17 from 12 noon – 6:00 p.m.

Reach reporter Alley Olivier at (718) 260–8310 or e-mail her at aolivier@cnglocal.com. Follow Alley on Twitter @All3Y_B.
Raising up the flag in celebration at Parkside Plaza last May.
Photo courtesy of Haiti Culture Exchange