Nassau County Launches First Annual Long Island Caribbean-American International Festival, August 16, 2010, Westbury

Nassau County Executive, Edward P. Mangano, and the Jamaica Cultural Alliance are pleased to announce the launch of the First Annual Long Island Caribbean American International Festival (LICAIF), to be held at the Harry Chapin Lakeside Amphi Theatre at Eisenhower Park in Westbury, L.I., on Monday, August 16, 2010.

According to Earl Lyn, Jr., VP of Marketing and promotions of the Jamaica Cultural Alliance, and chairman of the LICAIF the theme for this year’s event, “WE ALL ARE ONE”, is geared towards bringing communities together in unison and celebrating each other’s passions, heritage and cultures.

LICAIF is a free family-oriented event which will feature a wide array of music,food, arts and craft, and displays from the various Caribbean islands. The event will also feature re-known Caribbean artists, to include the king and queen of Soca music, The Mighty Sparrow and Calypso Rose; reggae icon Freddie McGregor and Angel Band along with an array of steel pan performers. There will also be a costume and fashion show, highlighting the culture and a variety of styles from the Caribbean.

Special invited guests for this historic event include : Nassau County Executive, Edward P. Mangano; Mayor of the City of Hempstead Wayne J. Hall, Sr.; New York State Senate Majority Leader Senator John Sampson; Hon. Geneive Brown Metzger, Council General of Jamaica to New York; Dr. Roy Hastick, Sr., President of the Caribbean American Chamber of Commerce & Industry, Inc.; Yolanda Lezama-Clarke, President of the West Indian American Day Carnival Association; Amanda Cohen, Nassau County Region office, American Cancer Society; and Jose Richards, President of the Sons & Daughters of Jamaica, Inc.

LICAIF will also commemorate the life of several legends, whose great contributions to the Caribbean and American communities in New York State continue to bear a significant impact on the lives of millions of New Yorkers. These will include the late Earl Lyn, Sr., founder of Nakisaki Restaurants; the late Carlos Lezama, founder of North America’s largest festival, the West Indian American Day Carnival; and the late Vincent Chin, founder of VP Records.

LICAIF will also take timeout to recognize the birthday of Jamaican national hero, the Hon. Marcus Mosiah Garvey, who became a civil rights champion in the United States.

LICAIF will also join the Caribbean American Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Inc., and celebrate their 25th Anniversary. CACCI, founded in August 1985, is a statewide membership organization, which has developed expertise in providing business assistance to small and start-up business owners, in areas of business planning, financing, certification, procurement, business expansion, and export/import opportunities. CACCI has developed a partnership with NYC Department of Small Business Services to provide business services to Women and Minority Business Enterprises, to expand their capacities and increase their access to procurement contracts.

This year’s festival is also geared towards bringing about awareness in the community on the importance of getting tested early for Colorectal and other cancers. According to the American Cancer Society, nearly 150,000 Americans are diagnosed with colorectal cancer annually and an estimated 50,000 die, most of them unnecessarily. Sadly, over 15,000 people in the U.S. are diagnosed under the recommended screening age of 50 each year. LICAIF hopes to use this year’s event to enlighten residents of Long Island and our neighboring cities of the risk associated with Colorectal cancer and how important it is to get tested early. Representatives from the Nassau County Regional office of the American Cancer Society are scheduled to take part in this event.

LICAIF is sponsored by Nassau County Parks and Recreation, MGM Funding, Wee Radio,Caribbean Style TV, MD TV (Jamaica) Cannon (USA), Culture Jam Radio, Caribbean Vibes Radio, Irie Jam Media, VP Records, New York Liberty Star Newspaper, Jewel Shannon Designs,Khanami Kreations, Padlock Records, Ruff Stuff Studios, Jam Roc Records, House of Hits Records, Digi Waxx Media,and Sam’s Caribbean Market Place.