A small sampling of the crowd early in the day. Later, the 12-block-stretch of North Miami Avenue jammed up with over 300,000 revelers, spilling into all the side streets. You can see the homes and apartments that line Miami Avenue -- this Festival is right in the heart of the Haitian community, it is their annual celebration.

Backstage with one of the performing groups.

Some reggae horns sprouting out of the crowd. There are many spontaneous displays of musical joy during the Roots & Culture Festival.
 

SATURDAY, MAY 16TH, 1998 -- Parade, festivities, games and carnival rides at Lemon City Park --Parade 11:00 AM to 12:30 PM. Festivities continue until 9:00 PM
SUNDAY, MAY 17, 1998 -- Main Roots & Culture Festival, 54th St. to 62nd on North Miami Avenue -- Festival begins at  11:00 AM and continues until 11:00 PM
ADMISSION: FREE

As in  the past three years,  over 200,000 festival goers are expected at Miami's biggest Black Heritage block party,  the Roots & Culture Festival, which has always drawn huge crowds. This year we are honoring over 150 heroes of African heritage.  1998 marks the first year the Festival is officially a two-day event. The Festival is Dade County's premier gathering and cultural Caribbean street fair, where all are welcome and invited to share in their "Roots & Culture".  People from Martinique, Puerto Rico, Haiti, Jamaica, Africa, Cuba, Trinidad and Tobago and all the countries of the Caribbean are invited to party for free on North Miami Avenue as they enjoy food, drink, music, dance performances and children's games. This family-oriented Festival also features local politicians and civic activists  who will speak on issues pertinent to the immigrant community of South Florida. There has always been peace at the Festival, a crime-free zone.

Roots & Culture, Inc. formed because "There are no festivals on an annual basis representing the combined Caribbean Islands,"  says Rulx "JJ" Damas, Executive Director, "and the community has existed for close to twenty years, so we decided it  time for someone to preserve our culture and our heritage."

Albert J. Alexis, Marketing Director for  Roots & Culture, Inc.,  states "As a people, we have a rich heritage, and it's important that all of Miami has the opportunity to see that heritage, to experience the culture, and to listen to the music -- this will allow us to live together without prejudice. Only through understanding of all the cultures that comprise Miami, can Miami exist as a community without prejudice and fear."

Saturday, May 16, 1998, the Festival kicks off with a Parade at Lemon City Park on NE 59th St at 11:00 AM, and proceed East to NE 2nd Ave., then turn South on NE 2nd Ave to 54th St. The route will  then proceed west (turn right) on NE 54th St. towards North Miami Ave, then march North towards 59th St. to return back Eastward to the Lemon City Park. Estimated arrival time is 12:30 PM.

Once back to the park, children and Community members attending will be able to enjoy rides and dance performances by the Toussaint Louverture Community School Dance Group.  Dignitaries that will speak include the Consul Generals of Haiti and Trinidad and Tobago, and Rita Marley, widow of reggae legend Bob Marley, a renowned singer in her own right. Also speaking will be Miami-Dade County Commissioner Barbara Carey, Ringo Cayard, Executive Director of The Haitian-American Foundation, Inc. (H.A.F.I.), and Phillip J. Brutus, candidate for Florida State Representative. The program and all the festivities will run until 9:00 PM.

Sunday, May 17, 1998, starting on North Miami Avenue between 54th St and 62nd Sts., the Roots & Culture Festival takes over the street for a day-long celebration of music, food, culture and pride.  Live music from over 40 bands on three stages will punctuate the air with the rhythmic sounds from the Caribbean. Dance troupes will show their skills, illustrating the different styles of dance from various cultures.Tempting aromas of wonderful exotic, spicy and affordable food offerings will have the partiers trying cuisines from different countries. Vendors will be offering  unique native arts and crafts, and children will enjoy the games and rides.

COME, ENJOY, PARTY -- BE A PART OF DADE COUNTY'S BLACK CULTURAL HERITAGE, WITH ROOTS AND CULTURE, Inc.  --------  "HONORING OUR HEROES"

 ACTIVITIES FOR SATURDAY 5/16
LIST OF ARTIST/PERFORMERS
1-YOGA BAND  2-BLACK HOLE  3-GAYAK  4-2 SIDES OF LIFE 5-DJAKA GININ 6-MASSAJ
7-PHANUEL  8 - FASAFAS 911

D.J’S
1- MIAMI FORCE D.J’S
2- RADIO SUPERSTAR D.J’S

DANCE TROUPE
1-THE TOUSSAINT LOUVERTURE COMMUNITY SCHOOL DANCE GROUP
2 - CARMEL DANCERS

LIST OF ARTIST / PERFORMERS FORSUNDAY5/17
1- RITA MARLEY 2- PLIERS 3- RICHIE SPICE 4- DHAIMA 5- COOL BREEZE
6- KANPECH  7- KOUDJAY 8- AYABONMBE 9- DJAKA GININ 10- ZAO
11- PILON 12- JT MONEY 13- KID COUPE 14- MASSAJ 15- MIRAJ
16- SON OF FAR-I  17- EMPRESS TREJAH ETHIOPIA 18- YOGA BAND
19 - M.C. HOUNCHE THE SINGING NURSE  20- KAZAK EKSPERYANS
21 - MANTRA JAZZ & BLUES  22 - ALEX LEON Y LOS LEONES DE LA SALSA
23 - YOUNG LIONS  24 - RATIGANN AND MR. SHARKK 25 - TOP VICE
26 - NODGE   27- ORIGINAL RAP STAFF 28 - ZENGLEN 29 - THE REAL ROCK BAND
30 - TALLY TAL 31 - METAL-ICE  32 - FASAFAS 911 33 - PICKAPEPA
34 - L..O.E.  35 - FERLINE CATHY 36 - DAHALRAZZERS 37 - KEBRA NEGAST
 

D.J’S
1-D.J. TOUCHE DOUCE  2-BASE NORMAL D.J’S 3-D.J. FEELING 4-SOUL CITY D.J’S
5-MIAMI FORCE D.J’S  6-HALF/HALF D.J’S 7-SAKAJ INT’L D.J’S
8-D.J AYIBOBO  9 - MIXX 96 D.J.'S

DANCE TROUPES
1-L'ARBRE DE LENDEMAIN  2-SASA AFRICAN DANCE THEATRE

STREET PERFORMERS
1-COMBO AFRICA  2-LAVALAS DE COLE 3 - STILT DANCERS

M.C’S
1-HOT 105 PERSONALITIES  2-CLINT O’NEIL (WLRN) 3-AUBRY BLAGUE (WLQY)
4-MIKE ANDREWS (WVCG) 5-LANCE O  (WAVS) 6-EDDY EDWARDS (WVCG)
7-NENE JEUDI (WLQY)  8-LOUCO (RADIO VISION 2000) 9-ALEXIS
 

 SPONSORS: SPECIAL THANKS FOR THE GENEROUS CONTRIBUTIONS OF:
WESTERN UNION HOT 105FM  TELE-ÉCLAIR  GUINNESS  HAITIAN-AMERICAN FOUNDATION, INC. (H.A.F.I.)  LITTLE HAITI NET OFFICE UPN - TV 33 AIR JAMAICA  FOOD GIANT
CLAIR IMAGE VIDEO PROD. CHURCH'S CHICKEN  COLGATE - PALMOLIVE  CO.
VISION 2000  ALEXIS PROMOTIONS CADILLAC HOTEL & RESORT
NUTRAMENT PHILLIP J. BRUTUS REGGAE ROOTS INT'L NEWSPAPER  HAITI ONLINE
ISLAND MAGAZINE  AFRO-IN BOOKS N THINGS HAITIAN TELEVISION NETWORK

ORGANIZERS AND STAFF
                   OF
ROOTS & CULTURE '98

Rulx "JJ" Damas                                 Executive Director
Albert J. Alexis                                     Marketing Director
Mireille Liberal                                    Booth Coordinator
Anya McCoy                                        Publicist
Catherine J. Amichia                         Host Specialist
Ron Laurent                                        Operations Coordinator
Henry Juste                                         Entertainment Coordinator
Patrick Desroches                             Security Consultant
Stanley Alexis                                     Staff Coordinator
Cynthia Smith/Esther Gaugette       Public Relations
Louise Mucci                                       Administration Assistant
Laure Avenou                                      Caribbean Publicist
Seahorse Graphics                            Art/Graphic Design
AA1 Services                                        Transportation
Eddy Beaugris/DMC Architect           Planning & Development
George "G Smooth"  Laguerre          Stage Coordinator
Road Blocks                                         Barricades
Afro books & Things                           Decorations
Gary Florestal                                      Parade Organizer
Arttek Printing & Design                     Printing
Pierre Charles                                     Film/Video Crew Organizer
Roger Biamby                                     Consultant
Well-Done Advertising                       T-shirts
Mario (Toto) Franlois                          Promotions

BRIEF REVIEW OF THE FESTIVAL

Well, the final count in is, and we topped the attendance of last year's
festival --- over 300,000 people partied in the street on North Miami Avenue,
hearing Haitian, reggae, r&b, and latin music.

I was at the other end of the Festival, at the 62nd St. stage,  but I heard that
Tito Puente Jr is the new sensation in the Haitian community -- the crowd,
especially the women, went wild for the Latin Dance man. There was almost a riot
afterwards when he gave out photos, CDs and posters. All Haitian radio is buzzin
about him ---- what an unexpected, wonderful result of his show. I knew he'd go
over big, but not blow up da place!!!  He's got a whole new crowd of fans.

I did witness Rita Marley ignite the crowd at 62nd St. She only did two songs,
"One Love" and "One Draw", but that's all she needed to do, she was so great,
those songs are so great, the crowd sang and danced along, roaring when a gent
in front of the stage turned around, holding aloft a Bob poster.

Please realize the crowd was 99.5% Haitian, so it was great to see these artists
get recognition.  Haitian groups who set the crowd on fire included Ayabonmbe,
Kanpech, Kudjay, Massaj, Phanuel (Haitian reggae, with a Buju-soundalike, and a
lady singer), and others, many others. We had 30 bands, many djs, and dancers.
Go see our website, listed below.

The story why we had to cut some bands -- you wouldn't believe the trials
and tribulations we at Roots & Culture went under, including the fact that the
stage man, fronted our last $7500 on Friday, disappeared. So, we had to scramble
to raise the cash to afford only two stages, instead of the three we had
planned, and we had no tents for our sponsors and artists.

Still, we had to salvage what we could, we knew the crowd was going to come, no
matter what! On top of that, an ill-vibed Miami promoter insisted on putting on
a Wyclef show the day before ours, stealing sponsors, vendors, and almost
costing us our police permit. We have to pay an additonal $9000 for
time-and-a-half-cops because they were all called in for the Wyclef show.

On the upside,  the volunteers were wonderful.  George Laguerre
ran the 62nd St. stage like a pro, and the crowd was very peaceful, only
a couple of fistfights, I heard about. The cops love working this festival.

To give you an idea, the City of Miami decreed that 50 cops were needed at the
Wyclef show, which only drew 12,000, and we only were required to have 60 cops
for the anticipated 200,000 (oops, went over that figure a little) :-) This was
our fourth year, and the festival is a matter of pride for the Haitian
community. And, they have something to be very proud of, as you can see.

Incredibly, the  local TV and Miami Herald ignored the festival on Sunday, not
one photo, not one news story on TV. I believe this is a racist issue, on one
hand, and a "glamour" issue on the other,  since photos of  Wyclef's show
appeared in the paper. His big backers buried us publicity-wise, as we knew they
would. Perhaps Miami media didn't care to broadcast pictures of an all-black
crowd, didn't have any "value" to the rest of their audience. Pure wickedness,
as my friend Donald would say.

Still, Roots & Culture is the festival of the people -- they came, they partied,
they proved their belief and pride in their Afro-Caribbean roots, and we will be
bigger and better next year!!