Orlando, Florida, one of the top tourist destinations in the United States (and the world) is has seen it’s Haitian population grow steadily within the past 25 years. With Miami holding countless records for some of the biggest and best-attended Haitian events, it is only natural that Orlando start stepping up to the plate. In the wake of Miami’s Kompa festival, Multicultural Promotion & Entertainment Group organized the 1st Annual Orlando Independence Day Kompa Festival during the 4th of July weekend.

In a city best known for its theme parks, Micky Mouse was nowhere in sight as Compas music filled the air. The sun was high in the sky and it was quite warm as the festival got off to a slow start. It appears that most waited until the hot Florida sun started to set before coming out. However, once the temperature started going down, people came out in large numbers to see their favorite artists in the first event of it’s kind in Central Florida.

A prime pick of artists were on hand to entice participants. Bands like Zin, Hangout, BelJazz, Koudjay, Krezi Mizik, Carimi, Djakout Mizik, T-Vice, and many more hit the stage, satisfying many musical palettes with mix of Compas, Racine, and even Rap music from Showboy and Haitian Fresh. These musicians left a signature on the city of Orlando big enough for their fans to remember for a lifetime.