SPRINGFIELD — More than 7,000 islands lie in the blue-green waters of the Caribbean Sea. From Aruba to the Dominican Republic, and St. Lucia to Turks and Caicos, the cultures and traditions of the people there are varied. Each year, those who have come to call Springfield home can get a taste of the Caribbean with the Springfield Carribean Carnival Parade.
The parade is organized by the Caribbean American African Athletic Social Club. The Aug. 17 event will mark the organization’s 24th annual parade.
“Over the years, it has expanded and contracted,” CAAASC President Curt Marcellin said of the size of the parade and the crowd that turn out for it. “This year, we expect to have a good turnout. In a political year, we have great turnouts because all of the politicians come out.”
For those who have not experienced the parade before, Marcellin explained, “In the Caribbean, we have Carnival. We use a lot of colors, a lot of flowers. Mask bands follow musical trucks and floats.”
Springfield’s Caribbean Carnival Parade includes many of the same sights and sounds. This year there will be music from marching bands, a drumline and people playing steelpan, a type of drum that originated in Trinidad and Tobago. The parade will also feature soccer teams, the Boys and Girls Club, and Springfield’s Miss Juneteenth. The various islands are represented in the parade with flags and colors, said CAAASC Treasurer Delva Campbell.
The parade will step off at noon from the corner of State and Catherine streets and take the festivities east down State Street, before turning onto Blunt Park Road and ending at Blunt Park, 1780 Roosevelt Ave. There, there will be live music from around the region and speeches from sponsors and elected officials. Vendor booths will surround the stage, selling clothing and products that represent the nations of the Caribbean.
Food trucks will offer what Marcellin described as, “Caribbean foods, Caribbean flavors, Caribbean smells,” Campbell said, “We try as best we can to get a sample of all the islands.”
Marcellin reflected on what makes Caribbean cultures unique. “We have a sunshine, a sense of fun and enjoyment. We bring some of that with us in our food and our strive for success. There’s so many Caribbean islands and we each bring our own things to America. We traded our sunshine and beach for snow and shovels to be a part of this country,” Marcellin said.
Marcellin fondly recalled his father telling the story of coming to the United States with “16 American dollars in my pocket.” He said he hears the same story of people willing to give up everything to come to the United States from many immigrants, no matter where they originate. Still, he said, the Caribbean holds a special place in the hearts of those with roots there.
Campbell said Springfield has a large Caribbean population, particularly for people whose families came from Jamaica.
The CAAASC was created in 2000. “The focus was mainly on sports, and then we merged the sports with the culture of the Carribean,” Campbell said. She said the sports aspect of the organization has waned, and a major goal of the CAAASC’s now it to “keep the culture.” She added that the vibrancy of Carribean cultures is what makes them special.
Over the past few years, the CAAASC has been working to broaden its focus and become a community organization, as well as a cultural one. It hosts a Thanksgiving dinner that is open to the public in November, followed by a toy drive and a Christmas giveaway for people in the community. CAAASC also runs a winter coat drive. In February, there is a celebration of Black History Month.
Campbell said she is working on creating a resource program with information about where to find help for various challenges. While it would benefit newly arrived individuals, Campbell said it would be available to Carribean and non-Carribean people, alike.
“We’re not just a parade organization,” Campbell said. “We also want people to call on us. We’re there to help the community.”
