June is Caribbean American Heritage Month, and it’s also the peak of mango season. The favorite fruit of the islands is at the heart of the big celebration, and Deco’s got all the juicy details.
How sweet it is! It’s time for the annual Mango Festival.
Calibe Thompson: “It’s a Mango Festival, it’s a mango extravaganza.”
At the Island Space Caribbean Museum inside the Broward Mall, they’re getting ready for the big blow-out.
Calibe Thompson: “Island SPACE Caribbean Museum is the only pan-caribbean heritage museum in the world, and we wanted to celebrate Caribbean American Heritage Month with the king of all fruit, so we married mangoes and June, and we have our mango celebration.”
There’s plenty going on at this party.
Calibe Thompson: “You are going to have a family-friendly indoor celebration of all things mango, we have live chef demonstrations, we have dancing, we have vendors.”
All you papa’s out there, listen up. The spotlight shines on you, as well.
Calibe Thompson: “A new feature called the daddies kingdom, that’s where, because we’re doing this on Father’s Day, fathers get pampered, they can sit on a throne with a crown and scepter, they get all kinds of treats and free gifts.”
You’ll come out of the event as an expert on this fabulous fruit. Plenty of mango-centric workshops are on hand.
First thing you’ll learn, there are a lot of different mangoes out there.
Calibe Thompson: “I can tell you we had a container of mangoes brought in from Jamaica, so we’ll have about a dozen varieties from the Caribbean, and in our mango walk, you can see dozens of varieties from South Florida and elsewhere.”
One of the chefs who’ll be whipping up some mango magic is local legend, Chef Irie.
Chef Irie: “This is my first time participating in the festival, so I’m happy to be here this year.”
Chefs come up with a dish that sounds like heaven.
Chef Irie: “Spiced shrimp with a mango butter sauce, a mango relish.”
Once you see Irie’s masterpiece on the plate, you’ll know why these three words are his motto.
Chef Irie: “Mango is life.”
The Island SPACE Mango Festival goes down this Sunday at Charles F. Dodge City Center in Pembroke Pines.
FOR MORE INFO:
Island SPACE Mango Festival
Charles F. Dodge City Center
601 City Ctr Wy
Pembroke Pines, FL 33025
Website