The rhythms of the Caribbean filled the air in Dorval over Labour Day weekend as Island Fête marked its fourth year with a celebration of music, food, culture and community.
The annual Caribbean Food and Arts Festival drew residents and visitors to Montreal’s West Island on Sunday, after the weekend began with Peter Nauth’s Concerts for Compassion Jamboree on Saturday.
Held at the Macallan’s Pub parking lot on Hymus Boulevard, the two-day celebration brought together live entertainment, cultural performances, Caribbean cuisine, artisan vendors and activities for families.
Island Fête brings Caribbean flavours to the West Island
Sunday’s Island Fête festival ran from 1 p.m. to 9 p.m. and offered free admission to the public.
Throughout the day, attendees experienced the sights, sounds and flavours of the Caribbean, with live music and cultural performances providing the soundtrack to an afternoon of food, shopping and family entertainment.
Authentic Caribbean cuisine was among the attractions, with vendors offering dishes including roti, jerk chicken and doubles. The festival also featured DJs, reggae, soca and calypso music, along with local performers and Moko Jumbies, or stilt walkers.
For Akilah Newton, co-founder of Island Fête, the event is about more than entertainment.
“The message of this festival really is unity,” Newton said. “People from the Caribbean are so warm and welcoming and we want to bring that energy here to the West Island and celebrate Trinidad, Jamaica and all the different islands that make up the Caribbean.”
Newton said bringing the festival to the West Island is particularly important because of the size of the Caribbean community in the area.
“Often time when you hear about Caribbean festivals they’re in town,” she said. “There’s so many people from the Caribbean that live here in the West Island so we want to celebrate the different cultures that make up the West Island.”
She said Island Fête remains the only Caribbean festival in the West Island, adding that there is a need for an event that reflects the community.
A celebration for families and the wider community
The festival was designed to be accessible to people of all ages, with a kids’ corner featuring bouncy castles and face painting.
For some families, that family-friendly atmosphere was part of the appeal.
One attendee said she learned about the festival after her cousin shared an invitation from TikTok and decided to bring her daughter to enjoy the activities.
“It’s good for the family and they have them enjoy the day,” she said.
She also welcomed the opportunity to see different cultures celebrated in the community.
“It’s always nice to see different cultures celebrated,” she said. “Other people get to see what other cultures do and what they like to do, what they like to eat and how they like to do their music and all of that.”
That sense of cultural exchange was also evident among younger attendees.
Naomi Cariglia, who attended to support her aunt Newton, said the festival gives people an opportunity to experience a part of Caribbean culture.
“It just means like showcasing my culture and letting like the world enjoy a piece of like my home,” Cariglia said.
She said the festival can also bring together people who may not otherwise have much exposure to Caribbean culture.
“I feel like it definitely brings the community together and it brings people that wouldn’t necessarily know much about Caribbean culture into one big community so they can enjoy Caribbean culture,” she said.
Costumes bring another layer of Caribbean culture
Colourful Caribbean costumes were also part of the festival experience, with Cariglya and Asia Arrington wearing costumes and taking photos with children.
Cariglia said this was her second year wearing a costume at Island Fête. She described the costumes as beautiful and said wearing one makes her feel special because it allows her to showcase her Caribbean culture.
Arrington, who was selling ice cream and helping with the costumes, said the opportunity to display Caribbean culture through the costumes was meaningful.
“There’s not that many opportunities to go out and showcase what being Caribbean really means,” Arrington said.
She pointed to the work and dedication involved in creating the costumes, noting that many are handmade and can take significant time to produce.
“Having it added into the festival, I think it just really showcases how much it really means to us,” she said.
For Arrington, seeing children enjoy the colourful costumes was another important part of the experience.
“People get to take pictures so I think that means a lot, especially when there’s little kids,” she said. “So then they get to enjoy all the colours and everything in the sparkles.”
A weekend built around collaboration
Newton described the atmosphere at Island Fête as one centred on connection and positivity.
“The atmosphere for Island Fête is always about positive vibes,” she said. “It’s all about making new friends, you know connecting with old friends and just having a good time.”
The festival continued to position itself as a gathering place for Caribbean culture on Montreal’s West Island — bringing together people who wanted to celebrate their heritage and those simply looking to experience something new.
For attendees such as Cariglya and Arrington, the hope is that the celebration continues for years to come.
“I think everyone should just come enjoy Island Fête and the years to come,” Arrington said. “I’m really happy. It’s like the fourth year we’re doing this and I’m going to be here every year.”
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