Festivals & Events

Festikap Kite Festival

December 13, 2019 by admin

three haitian boys flying a kite — Festikap Festival, La Vallée de Jacmel
Photo: Franck Fontain

Festikap Kite Festival

La Vallée’s vibrant kite festival is the place to be every January 2nd.

Picture this: After a week of adventuring across Haiti, from hikes to road-trips to the beach and hidden waterfalls, it’s time to celebrate the new year. You decide to go to Jacmel and watch the fireworks by the beach. The next day, you throw a picnic blanket in the car, drive up to La Vallée, and admire a sky full of kites while you kick back with food and drinks. You can even try your hand at flying a kite yourself, with the help of other participants or the festival organisers. It will take a little less than 300 gourdes (about US $3) to buy a nice kite and participate.

Because you can buy a kite on arrival, the bar for getting involved is pretty low, so Festikap makes a great spontaneous adventure! The festival happens every January 2nd, making it the perfect activity for anyone planning to spend New Year’s Eve in Jacmel (or – even Port-au-Prince).

Festikap vibes are comparable to Champ-de-Mars in February during carnival. Kites in a stunning display of colors and creativity fill the sky for hours on end: it’s a flying art exhibition. With children running around, elders watching and younger folks flying their kites, the atmosphere in La Vallée is like one big camping trip.

Festikap Festival, La Vallée de Jacmel
Photo: Franck Fontain

Behind the magic

The famous kite-flying festival of La Vallée de Jacmel — or “La Vallée” as locals call it — will be celebrating its 10th anniversary in the coming year. Festikap is a festival put together by the Organization of Young Valley University Students for Progress (Organisation Universitaire de Jeune Valléens pour Le Progrès) with the goal of preserving a tradition deeply rooted in Haitian culture but threatened by forgetfulness and abandonment. This yearly event serves as an entry point to the beautiful community of La Vallée de Jacmel. The celebrations conveniently happen on January 2nd which is a holiday in Haiti (Ancestor’s day).

Kite flying is a vital part of Haitian culture. Starting in the month of April, on the roofs of houses all across the country, children, their parents, and sometimes even their grandparents can be seen tugging on thin, nearly invisible pieces of thread tied up to makeshift kites. Most of them are made of plastic; the kind used to sell papita or roasted peanuts in — some clear, some blue, some pink. Others are more elaborate, made of brown paper with red and green accents, tails, and flourishes. All together, they dot the bright blue skies of early summer in colorful spiraling swarms.

In preparation for Festikap, organizers put together workshops to create a certain number of kites to be exhibited on that day. This festival is not just recreational, though – the preparation process encourages creativity and community engagement from different crowds. The festival hopes to revive interest in the endangered tradition of making and flying kites, and the efforts that go into planning Festikap can be considered as a kind of movement meant to transfer a skill and salvage a tenuous cultural heritage.

haitian boy in blue jeans with kite — Boy with kite at Festikap Festival, La Vallée de Jacmel
Photo: Franck Fontain

Getting there

La Vallée is located an hour’s drive northwest of Jacmel and about three hours’ drive southwest of Port-au-Prince. Although the name La Vallée suggests a low valley hidden in shadows, the town actually stands a half mile (around 800 meters) above sea level, and offers a panoramic view of the south of Haiti. A trip up to La Vallée unlocks the perfect experience for anyone hungry for a little bit more than simply spending a weekend at the beach.

Festikap is a great way to experience Haiti differently and genuinely. If colors, music, and community are your thing, it’s a must-visit event to add to your itinerary!

Written by Kira Paulemon.

Published October 2019

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PAPJAZZ 2021

October 15, 2019 by admin

jazz concert on big stage in front of large sitting crowd — PAPJazz festival in Port-au-Prince
Photo: Josué Azor

PAPJAZZ 2021

Every year in January, Port-au-Prince is transformed by PAPJAZZ – Haiti’s must-visit Jazz festival.

One of the Caribbean’s leading music festivals, PAPJAZZ is a city-wide event, with over 10 venues across the capital – most of which offer free entry.

The 15th edition is scheduled for 16 – 23 January 2021.

Also known as the Port-au-Prince International Jazz Festival, PAPJAZZ features outstanding Haitian artists and attracts jazz acts from across the Caribbean, the Americas and Europe. And the audience it draws is just as international.

Bars and restaurants throughout Port-au-Prince turn into venues, and entrance is free at all of them except the Karibe hotel. When you’re not busy enjoying live jazz acts, you can participate in a host of workshops and conference talks held over the week, all designed to explore the diversity of the Caribbean jazz scene.

How to get the most out of PAPJAZZ

Regular venues that play host to the festival include the Karibe hotel, L’Institut Français, Quisqueya University, and Place Boyer. Travellers on a budget take note of the PAPJAZZ shows scheduled for Quisqueya University — entry there is free!

During the festival, these and many more venues also open up for “after hours” events where you can relax in bars, beer gardens, pizzerias, observatories and arboretums, sipping a drink in a dreamy tropical setting with jazz playing in the background. Our tip for “after hours” jazz is Quartier Latin, an excellent restaurant offering sought-after ambience, Caribbean and Latin dining and arguably the best wine list on Hispaniola. What a way to escape the worst of the winter chill!

2021 PAPJAZZ lineup

The last years festivals drew talented artists from all over the world: Cecile Mc Lorin Salvant (US), Terence Blanchard (US), Barbra Lica (Canada), Emile Parisien and DAM’NCO (France), Julian and Roman Wasserfuhr (Germany), Oscar Pizarro (Chile) and Joss Stone (UK).

Haitian artists on stage included BIC, Claude Carré, Paul Beaubrun, Phyllicia Ross, Nina, Fatima, Vanessa Jeudi, Akoustik, Konpa Flashback, Follow Jah, Béatrice Kebreau and many more.

Check the full lineup on the Official PAPJAZZ website!

Written by Jean Fils.

Published October 2019

Updated December 2020

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Festi Graffiti – Haiti’s International Festival of Urban Arts

July 5, 2019 by admin

haitian street artist painting a graffiti mural — Graffiti artist working on a mural in Port-au-Prince
Photo: Franck Fontain

Festi Graffiti 2022

Cap-Haïtien’s street art scene peaks during the annual festival Festi Graffiti

Home to dozens of galleries and artist-led-initiatives, the suburbs of Turgeau and Pétion-Ville are usually the hub of the annual Festi Graffiti – The International Festival of Urban Arts.

This year however, the street art festival takes place in Cap-Haïtien.

Ramble through the sun-bleached streets in Haiti’s second city and soak up the freshest work by emerging Haitian street artists and visiting artists, from figurative murals to photography installations revealing Haiti’s urban dance battle scene.

This year’s installment of Festi Graffiti is happening between August 16 and 22, 2022. Hosting street artists from Mexico, Jamaica, and United States. This year’s theme is “natural disasters – living with them.”

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Festi Graffiti (@festigraffiti)

Look out for these artists

Established international street artists on the bill for this year include Mexican mural artist Eva Bracamontes (check out her Instagram here) and American street artist OU (check out his Instagram here).

Local Haitian artists include Snoopy (@snoopytag), OliGa (@oligarts), and RAYZA (@rayzatheking), plus an ever-changing lineup of emerging street artists who show up each year to show off their skills. Expect to see plenty of evocative murals as well old-school difficult-to-decipher tags.

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A post shared by Olivier Arsene Ganthier (@oligarts)

Don’t miss

Downtown Cap-Haïtien, don’t miss your chance to taste delicious local dishes at some of the city’s best restaurants.

A host of activities are available during festival dates, from guided tours to hands-on workshops. Be sure not to miss anything by following Festi Graffiti on Instagram and Facebook.

Written by Jean Fils.

Published June 2019

Updated August 2022

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Experience Rara Easter

July 1, 2019 by admin

group of haitian walking while playing on trumpets during rara festivities — Rara band in Bois Moquette
Photo: Franck Fontain

Experience Rara Easter

In this island nation famous for its festivals, Easter stands out.

Welcome to Haiti, and its one of a kind rara Easter!

Since Haiti is predominantly Catholic, you will see a lot of activity in churches in the lead up to Easter, some even organizing and leading marches through their parishes: some in Pétion-Ville, some in Lalue, some in Thomassin. For the devout, it’s a period of the year which never goes by without celebration.

If you pay close attention, though, you will notice there is another form of celebration going on – and it’s not a Catholic one.

haitian women in carnival decorations with trumpets — Rara band playing on vaksins
Photo: Kolektif 2 Dimansyon

History

In colonial times, from the moment they were unloaded from trade ships onto the island, slaves had to fight for everything: their survival, their freedom, and their culture. Because the first two were a harder, more substantial battle for them to win, they had to fight it every day until independence was won.

The cultures and languages they brought with them across the seas were viciously oppressed, and holding onto these was hard for people already fighting for survival and freedom. Slave masters were intent on ridding slaves of any thought, idea, or behavior that might make them think they were human.

When the Spanish colonised the island, they brought the Catholic calendar with them, and it remained standard on the island. The slave class found a way to keep their spiritual beliefs and practices alive by realigning their own traditions to match the timing of Catholic ones.

All throughout lent, slaves convened, but not to decide what they would give up. They convened in order to take something back – the musical traditions from their homelands, which they couldn’t normally risk under the watchful eye of the slave masters. During lent, musicians gathered and made music together, adapting customary instruments, traditions and narratives to their new life. Late at night, meeting in secluded locations, they found ways to celebrate their culture in all of its bright, bold loudness. Vodou was often a part of this celebration. Joining music and vodou together, a renewed and newly unified culture and religion arose.

This was the birth of rara, and the tradition is still alive and well in modern-day Haiti, and takes to the streets more boldly than ever before.

How to experience rara Easter

If you are staying in Haiti around Easter, rara band performances usually begin around Ash Wednesday and end with a bang on Easter Sunday. The artist lineup is never publicly announced, but you can catch them playing, dancing, laughing, and running through the streets of Port-au-Prince, Cap-Haïtien, Jacmel, Jérémie and more.

The sound of a rara band is unmistakable. A driven rhythm of drums, layered underneath a melody played on a couple of vaksin, a trumpet conventionally made from hollowed bamboo, but more often made of metal. You will hear the fast-paced scratching of the graj, against the loud, steady voices of people singing, stomping and dancing down the street.

As Martin Mull once put it, writing about music is like dancing about architecture. The spirit of rara is impossible to capture in words, so you’ll just have to come and see for yourself.

Written by Kelly Paulemon.

Published July 2019

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Uncover the Haitian Craft of Paper Mâché

March 28, 2019 by admin

Colorful paper mâché animal masks worn by participants in the carnival at Jacmel, Haiti — Paper mâché at Carnaval in Jacmel
Photo: Franck Fontain

Uncover the Haitian Craft of Paper Mâché

On a small square at the end of the Rue Sainte Anne, a woman holds a paper mâché bull’s head in her left hand and a brush in her right. This is Charlotte…

It is two o’clock in the afternoon, in the chief town of Haiti’s southeastern department – Jacmel. On a small square at the end of the Rue Sainte Anne, a woman with locks down to her shoulders holds a paper mache bull’s head in her left hand and a brush in her right. This is Charlotte, one of the most popular artists of the city.

The paper mâché technique, she explains, is very old. It comes from Asia. ‘With the carnival tradition inherited from Europeans, we have found the perfect pretext to improve this ancestral art, to make it a representation of the Haitian culture already rich in color.’

A few steps from where we are stands a fresco of glass of all colors. We can read the words “Fanm se poto mitan”. The artist to whom we owe this work? Charlotte. In her studio, two plaques of honor and merit salute her work. The walls and shelves are adorned with mâché roosters, oxen, cows, and objects of everyday life: a jewelry box next to a trivet, in front of a painting.

‘Haitian culture,’ Charlotte continues, ‘that’s what we artists put into it. It is not static and it is this dynamism from which it draws all its charm.’

Paper mâché artist Charlotte shows off an intricate cow mask in Jacmel, Haiti — Paper mâché artist Charlotte in Jacmel
Photo: Mikkel Ulriksen

“Work begins a whole year before the carnival”

The art of paper mâché is to mold shapes into paper hardened beforehand with a heated starch preparation. This technique, taught at the National School of Arts, is known throughout Haiti, but it has found its greatest success here in Jacmel.

The carnival held every year in the city (around Easter) attests to the success of this practice.Transmitted from generation to generation, the technique remains the same even though artists are free to experiment with size, shape and color. Masks, decoration of all kinds, aquatic fauna, political personalities, fictional characters – everything goes. In 1993, to illustrate a debate on deforestation, Soliosso Simonis disguised himself by transforming into a mango tree made of paper mâché. Around here, you could find a life-size zebra, painted bright red, right next to a representation of Fidel Castro.

Rivaling Haiti’s national carnival, the Jacmel Carnaval draws bigger crowds every year, partly because of the paper mâché art on display. Work begins a whole year before the carnival, designing the masks that will be on show on the front of the stands, on parade floats, and not least of all in the parade itself.

Artists in Jacmel, Haiti, working on paper mâché costumes — Artists in Jacmel working on paper mâché
Photo: Franck Fontain

For many people in Jacmel, paper mâché is a way to make a living – a real economic engine for the city and its surroundings. Children are immersed in the practice from a young age, and some go on to take up apprenticeships in local artisanal workshops. Downtown, several houses have been converted into shops, galleries, and / or open workshops where visitors can see the craft up close.

Paper mâché is more than just an artistic practice. Like painting, dance, and sculpture, it has become a vehicle for the expression of Haitian culture.

Written by Melissa Beralus.

Published March 2019

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The best Haitian getaways for a long weekend

January 25, 2019 by admin

A green yacht in aqua waters just off the beach at Port Salut, Haiti — Beach at Port Salut, Haiti
Photo: Verdy Verna

The best Haitian getaways for a long weekend

Looking for a quick getaway or an island escape?

We’ve rounded up a list of the best destinations for you to kick your feet up, relax, and enjoy the best Haiti’s coasts have to offer!

All of the destinations listed here can be reached by car – it’s easy to hire one in Port-au-Prince, but book ahead if you can. For an adventurous traveller fluent in French or Kreol, a journey via tap-tap to either Jacmel or Cap-Haïtien is an experience you won’t find anywhere else in the world, but for first-time visitors, we recommend hiring a car or driver.

Street art on the outside of the Alliance Francaise hotel and restaurant in Jacmel, Haiti — Alliance Francaise in Jacmel, Haiti
Photo: Amanacer / Emily Bauman

01. Jacmel

For international travellers, Jacmel is famous mostly for its annual carnival. Located in the south, with a vibrant festival and music scene steeped in history, and plenty of bars to choose from, Jacmel might be considered Haiti’s New Orleans.

From beautiful beaches to fantastic festivals and an endless array of artistic expression, this city is the cultural capital of Haiti. Just a two-hour drive southwest of Port-au-Prince, Jacmel is also one of the most accessible destinations.

Around 15km east of Jacmel you’ll find the fishing village of Cayes-Jacmel, where most of the rocking chairs you’ll see around Haiti are made. A few more kilometers east and you’ll come to Plage Ti Mouillage, a stunning white-sand beach framed by coconut palms, with a bar stocked with ice-cold drinks and fresh seafood.

Further east, you’ll find gorgeous Marigot. A coffee-growing town, Marigot has rated several times in Haiti’s top-ten communes. For a very reasonable price, you can wake up in an excellent boutique hotel with ocean views, the sounds of roosters crowing, and the smell of home-grown coffee roasting.

Lounge chairs beneath trees at Taino Beach, Grand-Goâve, Haiti — Taino Beach, Grand-Goâve
Photo: Anton Lau

02. Village Taino, Grand-Goâve

Two hours west of Port-au-Prince is a small oasis, nestled among the tall trees of Grand-Goâve. Grand-Goâve is one of the oldest settlements in Haiti – its name dates back to the Amerindians who called it home before the arrival of Spanish colonists in the 16th century.

Village Taino is a set of beachside bungalows that opens up on the powdery sands of Haiti’s southern peninsula. If you like your beach escapes to be secluded and exclusive, you will enjoy the privacy of the bungalows, as well as the daily catered seafood, caught and cooked on location.

Hotel Royal Decameron on the Cote des Arcadins
Photo: Bowerbill, Wikimedia Commons

03. Royal Decameron, Montrouis

Looking for world-class beachside relaxation? Royal Decameron, smack in the middle of the Arcadins coast, is your go-to for an all-inclusive experience in Haiti. With spacious rooms, swimming pools, authentic Haitian food, and recurring activities to keep you entertained throughout the days and evenings, it really is the easiest place to go for a weekend of unscripted relaxation and fun!

beach with people swimming and small wooden boat — People swiming at Amani-y Beach in Saint-Marc
Photo: Franck Fontain

04. Amani-y Beach, Saint-Marc

Looking for something outside the popular beach resorts of the Arcadins coast? Amani-y Beach may be the treasure you seek. Located close by La Colline Hotel, it is one of Saint-Marc’s most picturesque beaches. Surrounded by the tree-clad hills that border Baie de Sant-Marc, clear blue waters stretch out for miles. Amani-y Beach offers all of the island flair with none of the touristic fuss.

Colorful boat taxis line the shore at Cap-Haïtien, Haiti — Cap Haitien Labadi
Photo: Verdy Verna

05. Cap-Haïtien

Accessible via car, if you’re into sightseeing; tap-tap, if you’re here for adventure; or plane if you can’t wait to get there, Cap-Haïtien is one of those cities you need a couple of days set aside to explore.

The beach of Cormier is one of the most underappreciated on the island – and only about twenty minutes away from the main city by car. The food options on the main boulevard, which you can walk to from most hotels, are mouthwatering and many – Lakay? Boukanye? Cap Deli? Barik? Lolo? Come hungry!

Deck chair under a thatch umbrella at Abaka Bay, Ile-a-vache, Haiti — Abaka Bay, Ile-a-vache, Haiti
Photo: Ricardo Lartigue

06. Abaka Bay Resort, Île-à-Vache

Île-à-Vache is a magical place. Ever wondered what it would be like to live on a small island, just enjoying the pleasures of the sea lapping at your feet under a palm tree? Abaka Bay Resort is the place for you. Between horseback riding, kayaking, and peaceful walks on the shore in the evening, you might even find time to finish your book. This is an enchanting destination for travellers seeking quality rest and relaxation.

Written by Kelly Paulemon.

Published January 2019

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Festivals & Events

Festikap Kite Festival

La Vallée’s vibrant kite festival is the place to be every January 2nd.

Behind the magic

Getting there

A Visual Guide to Vodou Symbols

Explore more festivals and events

Paradise for your inbox

PAPJAZZ 2021

Every year in January, Port-au-Prince is transformed by PAPJAZZ – Haiti’s must-visit Jazz festival.

How to get the most out of PAPJAZZ

2021 PAPJAZZ lineup

Explore more festivals and events

Paradise for your inbox

Festi Graffiti 2022

Cap-Haïtien’s street art scene peaks during the annual festival Festi Graffiti

Look out for these artists

Don’t miss

Haitian Cultural Traditions You Didn’t Know About

Explore more festivals and events

Paradise for your inbox

Experience Rara Easter

In this island nation famous for its festivals, Easter stands out.

History

How to experience rara Easter

The Most Beautiful Places to Visit in Haiti

Explore more festivals and events

Paradise for your inbox

Uncover the Haitian Craft of Paper Mâché

On a small square at the end of the Rue Sainte Anne, a woman holds a paper mâché bull’s head in her left hand and a brush in her right. This is Charlotte…

“Work begins a whole year before the carnival”

Citadelle Henri

More Art & Culture

Paradise for your inbox

The best Haitian getaways for a long weekend

Looking for a quick getaway or an island escape?

01. Jacmel

02. Village Taino, Grand-Goâve

03. Royal Decameron, Montrouis

04. Amani-y Beach, Saint-Marc

05. Cap-Haïtien

06. Abaka Bay Resort, Île-à-Vache

Go on a self-guided tour of Haiti’s Gingerbread houses

Top things to see in Haiti

Paradise for your inbox

Plan Your Trip

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Company

Plan Your Trip

Destinations

Information

Company

Select Language

A Visual Guide to
Vodou Symbols

Go on a self-guided
tour of Haiti’s Gingerbread houses