February has got to be the coolest month of the year, and we’re not talking about the weather. When you mix Reggae Month and Black History Month together, some great stuff is about to happen. There’ll be parties, food, dancing, fashion and music … a lot of music.
Shaggy (singing): “You’re a queen, and that’s how you should be treated, though you never get the loving that you needed.”
For Shaggy, the celebration of the music he loves is a full-time gig, especially during Reggae Month.
Shaggy: “I think our job as artists and people who are within the music, and it’s our lifestyle, and it’s really – we serve as ambassadors, you know, to bring people in to come within the culture itself.”
Reggae legends Inner Circle are at the heart of the month-long celebration.
Abebe Lewis: “Well, we got a bunch of different events happening on the fourth. We’re kicking it off at Blue Martini, where we’re doing an Inner Circle meet and greet.”
The Blue Martini soiree is just the start. Don’t miss the Reggae Genealogy Concert at the Island SPACE Caribbean Museum in Plantation, Rastafari Day in North Miami, and Praise on the Green in Miramar.
Not only is February Black History Month, but it’s also Alvin Ailey’s 65th anniversary, and they are giving you the gift of dance at the Arsht Center.
Suzette Espinosa Fuentes: “We’re really excited about kicking off Black History Month with the Alvin Ailey Dance Theater. Audiences love them. We’re gonna see athleticism, beautiful music, and of course, gorgeous choreography.”
Dancer Constance Stamatiou can’t wait for the audience to experience the Alvin Ailey masterpiece “Revelations.”
Constance Stamatiou: “He wanted to give dance back to the people, and that’s his mantra: dance came from the people, and it should be given back.”
And “Ode,” a piece from Miami native Jamar Roberts.
Jamar Roberts: “‘Ode’ is an ode to victims of gun violence in America. It’s basically a piece where I wanted to definitely address a very hard issue, but I wanted to do it with as much love as I possibly could.”
There’s gonna be all types of food and great music at this year’s Afro Carib Festival in Miramar.
Alexandra P. Davis: “We have salsa, we have kompa, reggae and Afrobeats all in one place, as we celebrate the African diaspora. We are very diverse, and we want to make sure folks know about the culture of the Caribbean.”
Fireboy DML headlines the event, and Grammy winner Kabaka Pyramid will hit the stage, too.
Kabaka Pyramid: “I am very excited to be performing. Being able to represent the culture here is important for me.”
The festival is also adding some local musical flavor to the mix. How ya feel about that, Yung Wylin’?
Yung Wylin’: “It’s an amazing opportunity to perform in front of a huge crowd like that and to open up for the other artists.”
The Afro Carib Festival takes place Saturday, Feb. 17, at the Miramar Regional Park Amphitheater.
FOR MORE INFO:
Reggae Month South Florida
Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater
Afro Carib Fest Miramar 2024
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