| Hosted by | International Festival of Arts & Ideas |
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| Details | Back again with their 12th year is the unforgettable multi-cultural celebration, New Haven Caribbean Heritage Festival! Experience the vibrant spirit of the tropics right in our community as we come together for a spectacular occasion enjoying rich tastes, rhythmic sounds, and the diverse heritage of the Caribbean. Enjoy the colorful representations of various Caribbean nations, and live performances that showcase the heart and soul of music and dance. The festival begins at 2:00PM on the New Haven Green, followed by a 6:00PM concert headlined by Jo. L and Denise Belfon filled with community, culture, and Caribbean flair. Whether you’re looking to dance, dine, or discover, there is something for everyone at this high-energy festival. Don’t miss out on the prizes and surprises hidden throughout the event! What to Expect: Savor the Flavors: Take a culinary tour through our fleet of authentic food trucks and carts serving up island favorites. Island Marketplace: Browse unique apparel, jewelry, and artisan crafts from local service and craft vendors. Culture & Connection: Immerse yourself in tradition with captivating island displays and storytelling sessions that bring history to life. Live Entertainment: Feel the beat with live performances that will keep you moving all day long. FOLLOW WEDEHYAH ON: PHOTOSWEBSITE Anthem Reggae Band Anthem Reggae Band is based in CT and has been an international touring and recording band for many years. Anthem has toured Japan, Korea, Hawaii, Bermuda, etc. and has appeared on the Conan O’Brien show with Sister Carol, played for the NBA All Star Game After Party in Washington DC with the Isley Brothers. They’ve toured with Luciano and Judy Mowatt internationally. Anthem brings you a mixture of all things Reggae from the roots to the branches for all audiences. Either sit back and listen or dance and enjoy the energy and diverse rhythms from a very unique Reggae recording and preforming band. Jo. L Jo. L is a rising performing artist making his mark with a sound rooted in energy, culture, and authenticity. He first gained attention with his standout single “CHÈLBÈ,” building momentum that led into the release of his debut album This is Jo. L., out now. His music connects through vibrant style and real expression. Now a member of the band FLANBÉ and managed by Carigano Music Group, Jo. L brings the same passion and presence from the stage into every space he enters. Whether performing for a crowd or teaching in the classroom, his approach is built on connection, confidence, and making complex ideas feel natural and engaging. Beyond the stage, Jo. L continues to expand his impact as the founder of Math Like a G Tutoring Services, where he empowers students to master math with clarity and confidence. He is also the author of Math Isn’t The Problem, available on Amazon, furthering his mission to reshape how people approach learning. He extends that same purpose into fashion as the creator of Guerriér Apparel, a brand rooted in his last name, derived from the French word for warrior, reflecting resilience, identity, and ambition, and recognized with a feature on News 12. Denise Belfon The name Denise Belfon is synonymous with sultry, exotic stage performance. An acclaimed Soca and Calypso artiste and performer, Belfon’s stage sobriquet, ‘Saucy Wow’, has laid claim to a brand that she has undisputedly held for almost 30 years. There is no one in the Caribbean quite like her. Belfon grew up as the eldest of seventeen children to her parents. She recalls being intrigued by music from the tender age of seven, noting the influence of her aunt in introducing her family to reggae artistes like Bob Marley and the Wailers and Peter Tosh, among other artistes of that time. Her home in Point Cumana, Carenage, Trinidad was always filled with music, Denise likening the atmosphere to a ‘party-like’ one, ’round the clock. Part of a large, extended family, which included her two grandmothers, Belfon frequently heard the music of artistes like Etta James, Sam Cooke, Ella Fitzgerald, Mahalia Jackson and Tina Turner. Denise says it was one of those matriarch’s love for these entertainers at that time that ignited her appreciation for them as well. Her voice, a husky yet attractive one, was apparent from the age of two, and with that awareness, Belfon grew even more intrigued by artistes with such vocal similarity. From the age of two, Denise’s fate for a life on stage, seemed sealed. Her both grandparents had given her the name ‘Saucy’, all because of her quick witted mouth and sassy appeal. It would go on to become a name spoken by millions around the world. Belfon, a subtle protector of her sixteen siblings and twenty-two cousins who surrounded her, understood the importance of self-mastery from a young age. She was often underestimated as a child, but would quickly prove immovable, should any of her family members be threatened by outsiders. This would later prove to be an essential life lesson, particularly as she made her way into and maneuvered in the music business. Her vocal ability exploded as she grew and by the age of nine, Denise Belfon began making inroads onto the Calypso and Soca circuits in a major way. She began entering the Junior Calypso Monarch competition alongside the likes of fellow entertainers, Kerwin DuBois, Ghetto Flex and Machel Montano among others. During her youth, Belfon attended St. Theresa’s Girls RC School, Mucurapo Junior Secondary School and then South East Port-of- Spain Secondary School, and from Standard 4 to the fourth form, she forcefully infiltrated the Junior Calypso Monarch competition, guided by the woman she calls her Spiritual Mother, the late, Ella Andell. The influence of Calypsonian Ella Andall is something Denise Belfon holds dear to her heart. Amid her development in the world of creativity, Andall’s voice stayed consistently clear and even as she became further enthralled in the arts, via ballet and even the La Reine Rive competition, representing her community of Point Cumana, Denise was strongly guided by Andall’s words. Musical stalwart, Roy Cape is single- handedly responsible for the ‘becoming’ of Denise ‘Saucy Wow’ Belfon, in the world of soca. He hand picked her after careful observation of her performance ability and vocal execution on stage, and soon after, Denise Belfon would become the lead female vocalist of Sound Revolution, alongside Colin Lucas. She was 19-years-old. The years that proceeded were filled with immense growth and life lessons for the woman who evolved over time into a wife, mother and full time entertainer. In 1995, Denise Belfon made all of the Caribbean look, as she broke the glass ceiling with a song called, ‘Ka Ka Lay Lay.’ It would catapult her to almost immediate stardom and from that time onward, songs like “Hard Wuk”, “De Jammette”, “Saucy Baby,” and “Indian Man” would cement her status as an impenetrable female force in the Soca music industry. In 1998, her collaboration with fellow entertainer, Ghetto Flex proved an essential cross-over anthem, something that effectively challenged the norms of the time. That single was called, “Rock Your Body.” Denise has collaborated with several artistes in the Caribbean entertainment industry throughout her near 30-year- long career. From a remixed version of ‘Lotala,’ alongside T&T artiste, General Grant, which had originally been sung by East Indian Chutney artiste, Sonny Man, to “Soca Juma” with Nigel Salickram, “Pipe” alongside Soca artiste, Patch, “Obsessive Winers,” with her fellow female soca artistes, Destra Garcia and Alison Hinds, Denise has done it all. A 1998 released single called, “Work,” often referred to as “Put Yuh Back In It,” would prove capable of the unimaginable though. “Work,” has been remixed over 8000 times in numerous languages and across several cultures. The song’s streams have exceeded 13,000,000 and Belfon’s performance at the Music of Black Origin (MOBO) awards in 2016, may have sparked a rejuvenated appeal for the single. On social network, Tik Tok, a ‘Put Your Back In It’ challenge simply amplified the track, leading to major interest in not just the song, but the original singer. Interest increased further after a collaboration between dancehall artiste, Shenseea and US rapper, Megan Thee Stallion in 2022, would hear Belfon’s voice and ‘Work’ lyrics sampled in the single, ‘Lick.’ Professionally, Denise Belfon is nowhere close to hanging up the hat. She remains astute to the trends of the industry, recently collaborating with ZJ Sparks and Dan Evens, on a dancehall laced single called, “Wanti.” Denise Belfon is deeply rooted in the culture from which she rose to superstardom, in the Caribbean. She maintains strong allegiance to country and is excited for the future of the sound that is Soca music. Belfon openly shares her appreciation for the new female artistes of Soca, namely, Jadel, Nailah Blackman, Nessa Preppy, Patrice Roberts, Nadia Batson, all of whom she hopes to some day collaborate with. As Belfon matures, she says she is dedicated to assisting new and upcoming entertainers from all walks of life, in shaping their careers. Lessons learnt and taken away over her many years in the music business prove essential to avoiding mistakes, she professes, and with that keen awareness, she is taking on a managerial role, building a publishing company and record label to aid others as they enter the industry. The name Denise ‘Saucy Wow’ Belfon has stood the test of time and will continue to penetrate in the business of music for many years to come. |
| Admission | FREE |
| Location | Main Stage on the New Haven Green |
| Where |
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| More Info | info link |