SAUGERTIES, N.Y. — The 2024 Hudson Valley Caribbean Carnival drew a crowd Saturday, with attendees lining up for authentic Caribbean music, cuisine, and culture.
The event is in honor of the Carnival events held across the Caribbean, traditionally celebrated to represent the end of the harvest season. Held at Cantine Memorial Field, the carnival brought numerous vendors and organizations to Saugerties. Food options at the carnival included several traditional dishes from countries ranging from Saint Kitts and Nevis and Grenada to Jamaica and Trinidad and Tobago.
Festivities on the day included New York City dancing stilt walking troupe Moqo Jumbies, steel drum bands, reggae bands, and a troupe of dancers from Aruba. A fashion show featured Harlem-based designers with Haitian, African, and Jamaican backgrounds, who are all developmentally disabled. A parade was initially planned for the carnival, featuring musical performances and members of the community, but it was canceled due to issues with a generator, organizers said.
The carnival was organized by Lake Katrine-based non-profit Seasoned Gives, which promotes entrepreneurship among BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, People of Color) communities, and connects groups of marginalized people with local resources and support. Tamika Dunkley, executive director of Seasoned Gives, co-created the carnival with her husband, Martin. Dunkley said she was overjoyed to see people enjoying their time at the carnival.
“It’s beautiful, it’.