Haitian Cultural Heritage Month kicks off on May 1

(MIAMI-DADE, FL) – Miami-Dade County Commission Chairman Jean Monestime is inviting the community to experience the wonders of Haitian culture and cuisine during the County’s 15th Annual Haitian Cultural Heritage Month celebrations.

The theme of this year’s festivities – which will showcase the art, history, music and food of Haiti throughout the month of May – is “Haiti: Witness the Renaissance, Relive the Magic.”  

The celebrations will kick off on May 1 with the opening of several exhibits of Haitian art around Miami-Dade County. The art displays will be at PortMiami, 1015 N. American Way; Stephen P. Clark Government Center, 111 NW 1st Street; the Little Haiti Cultural Center, 212-260 NE 59th Street; the Center for Haitian Studies, 8260 NE 2nd Avenue; the Haitian Heritage Museum, 4141 NE 2nd Avenue; and Sant La Neighborhood Center, 5000 Biscayne Blvd. #110.

Other highlights include the Third Annual "Taste of Haiti" featuring Haitian cuisine at City of North Miami MOCA Plaza, the 17th Annual Compas Festival at SunLife Stadium, the Fourth Annual Haitian History Bee at the Stephen P. Clark Center, Zakafest at the Little Haiti Cultural Center, and soccer tournaments at FIU North Campus. Locations, dates and times of all events are listed in the 2015 Haitian Cultural Heritage Month Event, which is available at Commissioner Monestime's district office, 900 NE 125th Street in North Miami, and online at www.miamidade.gov/district02.

"I encourage everyone to come out and explore and enjoy the wonders of Haitian heritage, culture and cuisine,” said Chairman Monestime, the first Haitian-American elected to the Miami-Dade Board of County Commissioners.

Sponsors of this year’s Haitian Cultural Heritage Month celebrations are the Consulate General of the Republic of Haiti in Miami, the City of North Miami, Pinnacle Housing Group, MCM, Green City Miami-Dade, Related Urban, GLF Construction Corporation, the Miami Dolphins, the Greater Miami Convention & Visitors Bureau, Bercow Radell & Fernandez, FPL, Neighbors and Neighbors Association Inc., Clear Channel, the Haitian Culinary Alliance and Shores Development Inc.

For a full calendar of Haitian Cultural Heritage Month events, visit www.miamidade.gov/district02/.

The County recognized Haitian Cultural Heritage Month for the first time in May 2001 through Resolution R-452-01.

For more information, call Chairman Monestime’s office at 305-694-2779.