There’s nothing Caribbean people love more than a fête (a festival). PrideFête celebrates everything that is both Pride and Caribbean, creating an inclusive space for communities who may not feel as safe and free in their home countries.
PrideFête will bring Caribbean culture — tailored to an LGBTQ+ audience — to Wilton Manors on Saturday, August 12, from 6 to 11 PM. Staged at Richardson Historic Park & Nature Preserve, the event will feature music, food, art, DJs, drag queens, local queer performers, Carnival drummers and masquerade performers. Usually, most Pride events take place in June, commemorating the 1969 Stonewall riots in New York City, a pivotal moment in gay and lesbian history. But most of the past iterations of this Caribbean LGBTQ+ festival have taken place in May and August.
This is the second year the festival will be produced by Hotspots! Happening Out, best known for Hotspots! Magazine. The festival is for the Caribbean LGBTQ+ community, its culture, struggle, and fight. Hence, every participant is welcome to dress in the traditional spirit of the barely-there Caribbean outfits. With the end of slavery in the 19th century, the populace of the region was allowed to celebrate their native culture and their emancipation through dress, music, and dancing. These three factors continue to remain central to their way of celebrating festivals. Their culture is about accepting their true self, beliefs, and choices. This spirit connects Caribbean culture to the LGBTQ+ community and brings them together and even closer.
