Food, Music and Dance Take Centre Stage at Afro-Caribbean Fest 2026

In 2019, the Africans & African Descendant Friendship Club of St. Albert had just finished its annual general meeting, and were celebrating by sharing food and music in Lions Park—where they found themselves constantly beset by curious (and hungry) passersby.

“There were always people in Lions Park, and they were like, ‘Oh, what's going on here? Can we come be a part of it?’ And it's difficult for you to say no,” laughs Helen Agbonison, the Friendship Club’s founder.

So when the exact same thing happened again in 2021, she knew she had to officially open up their festivities to the broader public: “There was the community saying, "We want to be a part of this.”

That was the beginning of what’s now called Afro-Caribbean Fest, a summertime celebration of African and Caribbean cultures in St. Albert. Food, music, and entertainment are available for anyone to enjoy—it’s free to attend, though registering online in advance is incredibly helpful, Agbonison notes.

The 2026 edition will feature food trucks, local vendors, facepainting, and a bouncy castle, as well as plenty of performances, including musical powerhouse Nkwali, Calgary’s Afro Hause Dance Crew, Riwo Egor (from Afro-fusion band Melafrique), reggae and dancehall musician Knotty Royal, and many more.

Cuban dancer Orlando Martinez will close the evening out. Agbonison had booked Martinez for a previous edition of the Friendship Club’s indoor winter event, A Taste of Africa, where she was amazed at how he managed to get the audience on their feet and grooving along with him.

“The energy in that dance line,” Agbonison marvels. “People were laughing, they were so happy. We're excited to have him.”

Agbonison notes that they’re always looking for sponsors too, to help make events like this easier—if that sounds like you, reach out to the Friendship Club! But she’s also proud of the work they’ve managed to do to share their cultures with the rest of St. Albert. And with this particular festival, Agbonison has the opportunity that most organizers rarely get: to enjoy some of the festivities herself.

“For Taste of Africa, I'm behind the scenes, running around,” she says. “But for the Afro-Caribbean Festival, I have the opportunity of being in it. Even if I'm greeting people, but basically I'm inside of it watching it and experiencing it with all the people. I can get some of the vibes.”

Afro-Caribbean Festival is happening on Sunday, August 24th from 5pm – 8:30pm in Lions Park. Free tickets and more information is available at https://stalbert.ca/events/calendar/community/afro-caribbean-festival/

Article written by Paul Blinov

- 30 -