You can always tell when it's Carifest weekend in Rochester when you see a multitude of people wearing clothing matching the flag of their Caribbean heritage.
Think yellow and green for Jamaica, or red and black for Trinidad and Tobago, to name a few.
So it was on Saturday, Aug. 8, when a few thousand people gathered throughout the day and evening at Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Park downtown for the 40th edition of Carifest.
The festival was preceded by a joyful and colorful Carifest parade replete with music, dancing, floats and an array of costumes reflecting Caribbean style and traditions.
This year's theme: Islands in the Sun.
The annual event is staged by the Rochester West Indian Festival Organization.
At the park, crowds grew throughout
the day. By late afternoon, the lawn in front of the stage was jam-packed with people, some sitting in portable chairs and many others dancing. Lines at food vendors were quite long. Many people who marched or danced in the parade continued to wear their costumes, some of which featured feathered headdresses.
A morning storm impacted vendors setting up Saturday morning. But by parade and festival time, crowds enjoyed humid but breezy weather.
This article originally appeared on Rochester Democrat and Chronicle: Carifest draws throngs to Martin Luther King Jr. park for music, dance
