All roads lead to Bessemer for the 2023 Caribbean Food and Music Festival. The Central Alabama Caribbean American Organization’s annual celebration of Caribbean culture kicked off this morning with a parade from Bessemer Hall of History to DeBardeleben Park and will run to 9:00 p.m. with a series of food, music, and revelry.

Bolstered by a $5,300 grant from the Alabama State Council on the Arts, the CACAO and the city of Bessemer have worked together for the past few months to plan this year’s festival, which returned in full force last year after a hiatus in 2020 and 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

“This year is going to be heightened from last year,” says CACAO president Gina Sealy. “The excitement is even higher.”

Now in its 10th year, the CACAO team hopes this year’s festival will be the largest to date with guests from around the Southeast as well as the Bahamas, Bermuda, and Jamaica.

A number of dignitaries have joined this year’s celebration, including Consuls General Oliver Mair of Jamaica and Anthony Moss of the Bahamas, Bessemer Mayor Kenneth Gulley, Ron Marshall, the President of the Bessemer City Council, and Jefferson County Commissioner Sheila Tyson.

Planning to head to the festival today? Here’s what to know:

LOCATION:

The 2023 Caribbean Food and Music Festival is at DeBardeleben Park, 1623 2nd Ave N, Bessemer, AL 35020

PARKING:

Parking near DeBardeleben Park is free, however, guests should note that all of the streets around the park will be closed.

FOOD, ENTERTAINMENT, and MUSIC:

Saturday’s free, family-friendly events will feature live performances including Revolution Band from Atlanta, Pansonic Steel Band, a Bahamian Junkanoo Band, and a special area for children hosted by the City of Bessemer Recreation Center with a magician, balloon artist, and face painters.

The festival will host a variety of international food vendors, merchandise vendors and dance performances. Musician Jeremy Torres, who has performed with Wyclef Jean, will make his debut at the festival. Comedian and actor Ulato Sam will also return to the festival stage joined by radio host Wayne Hall from Atlanta. Carnival Barbee, who led the masquerade portion of the parade, will join guests and revelers throughout the day to showcase the festival traditions of the Caribbean.