Konpa all night long at this Haitian Flag Day festival in Pembroke Pines
If you’re a proud national of the Pearl of the Antilles or a Caribbean culture enthusiast, Pembroke Pines is hosting an anniversary celebration you won’t want to miss.
Restaurant and event space Douce Lounge kicks off Haitian Flag Day, a holiday marking the creation and adoption of the Haitian flag in 1803, on Friday, May 15, with a late-night Konpa festival that’s sure to get you dancing.
The party kicks off with a Konpa dance class from 8 to 10 p.m. where participants can learn the basics of the modern Haitian méringue style famous for its intimate and romantic moves. At the helm of the class will be instructors Dèzod, Carma, Sauveur and Didine Bazile.
Konpa, popularized in the early 1960s and named after the music genre it is peformed to, is composed of the carré “two-step” and often performed by a duo.
Movements include hip swaying, gentle footwork and turns, and the style is typically considered a more fluid counterpart to high-energy Caribbean styles such as merengue and salsa.
Following the tutorial, partygoers will get to put their moves to the test with a Konpa dance party that will go from 10 p.m. to 3 a.m and be soundtracked by performers Piman 2cho, Gucci Belly, Maliquec, Phresh 954, DJ Lo and DJ Deuce.
But why go all out for Haitian Flag Day?
Though Haiti’s Independence Day is observed on Jan. 1, the creation of the country’s flag seven months before its liberation from France is often considered a turning point in the Haitian Revolution.
The flag was created during the 1803 Arcahaie Congress by revolutionary Jean-Jacques Dessalines, who Haitian lore adds ripped the French flag’s white center band and discarded it due to its association with White Europeans.
At the center of the flag is the Haitian coat of arms, surrounded by a blue and red band said to represent the Black Africans and mulattos of the Haitian Revolution.
Haitian Flag Day, observed every year on May 18, has since been celebrated in Haiti and the diaspora with street festivals, parades, live music, traditional food and a heavy display of the national colors.
Tickets to Douce Lounge’s celebration range from $28.49 to $44.99 and feature several party and class packages to choose from. For more information, visit the restaurant’s Instagram account.
